A DOUBLE TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1925, Page 1

A DOUBLE TRAGEDY

[BY TELEGRAPH I’Ell PItESS ASSOCIATION.] DANNEVIRKE, Feb. 26. A double drowning occurred in the Dannevirke Public Baths this afternoon, the victims being a boy about live and a half years of age and an adult aged about 32. a married man, without a family. The hitter, named Arthur Urqu.hart, was a returned soldier with one leg. lie was the caretaker of the baths for the Danncvirkc Swimming Club and he was a ;,air swimmer. On his way to tiio baths early in the afternoon, he met a lid named AYilliam Montgomerie, whose parents are residing in Auckland, the boy having been a visitor to his grandfather, Air George 1.-. Bartlett, a well-known hairdresser. The hoy wr reluctantly given consent by his grandmother to go with l rqnhart, tiio latter promising to look alter him. and the Fiji's coll.-in, a girl of about seven, who went with them. According to the latter, the lio.v was playing with a stick as a boat, at the _ deep end, when, overbalancing, he fell in. Ihe little girl rushed and told the caretaker who at once dived in. What happened afterwards is largely conjecture. The girl vent for hoi]), and then returned to the baths, where, she says, she saw the hov on top of his would-be res-

YYlien a civilian, named Albert Fisher, arrived on the scene, in response to a hasty summons, the liny was Heating, while 1 rquhai L was lying at the bottom of the baths near the deep end. The bodies were about five feel apart. Fisher polled the boy out first. Then he dived and brought the man’s body out. The latter then was apparently dead.

Attempts were made by civilians'and a doctor to resuscitate the lad. and were maintained a long time, lint proved without avail. The tragedy has east a gloom oven the town and district.

The grandparents of the child are amongst Dannevirke',s oldest residents, while, Urquhart was also well known, and gave bis life in attempting to rescue a bright Hov to whim he was a fleet ion a tely attached.