NEARLY DROWNED

Hokitika Guardian, 14 July 1933, Page 3

NEARLY DROWNED

YOUNG MAORI’S ESCAPE

GRASPED BY THE HA^IR

WHPpiA’NGA, July 12. A fortunate escape; from, drowning] .was experienced; ,by .ia :Maori, Ben Mnrsdc-i, aged about 1 21, - when fishing yesterday afternoon at Matapua Bay, nine miles from Whitianga, Mercury Bay. A Pot being thrown .front am Bft. dinghy, which was .struck- by a «Sutf<fen squall. Mavsdon, .who was unable to swjm, wag taken from the water jn an • vfniconsdiious condition .by another Maori, Timoti Hutcliimson, who went to his aid i,n <a launch from a distance of ia bout 200 yards away. ,• •• •, Both men wore .engaged inf removing .fish from a long line buoyed at 1 each end. The dinghy,. in which the young .man Marsde.n was working-. alone, had .been about half-fifed with,fish when it . was caught .in a northerly squall. Waves •br.oke over the craft .and swamped .it, precipitating thofioccupant into tb® --sea. ,r Hutchinson, who'.is.;, .am experienced boatman,, saw plight from the launch j;n which he wns working by h’mself, and immediately asta-Hed the engine l . Aided by a strong following wind the vessel was soon on the-..scene of the mishap. Marsden was • .alreadyjin a drowning state aPcT his rescuer just managed to grasp the hair of- 'the 'drowning ; males' hendf .vnWi’h. considerable l difficulty he wag able-to ' get• Margderi, -'-who ' wag by this time 'unconscious, i.nto the launch. Resuscitation -measuiies ■were': applied, --aard:- -Marsden was brought ’to : : Whitianga' : after the stamped - dinghy: s --had- bead ■•-‘•re- ' rovered. 1: Thev-rescued man '• revived -on the - jdaimey - atfl' ; Vv'’it i doi ; day :i 'ilittle ■ frhjp 'worse' for bis--experience;’ ' •■ ■■■ 1 The--scene- of the rescue' wag 'wear Mr Zane -Grey’s"’base camp bat ‘Mercury Bay. The type ofvfi’sh'hi'g'-’line-the two menSvore engaged at the time is sometimes ia efuartbf of h m'de' long, and has about 200 hooks. Erich end of the line is buoyed aird .anchored.'- When sufficient fish have been -caught the fishermen 'travel along the line in a. boat’and remove- the hooked fish.