Distressing Fatality.

Manawatu Herald, 19 January 1904, Page 3

Distressing Fatality.

THREE PERSONS DROWNED.

On Saturday about il o’clock, Mrs John Fisher and Mrs D. Si Thompson* who Were visitors to Riverton, walked along the southern side of the estuary accompanied by their niece Nellie Steven, aged 14, daughter of a schoolmaster at Glenavy, South Canterbury, with the intention of bathing. Near the pilot station they halted and the girl entered the water. The tide was about half flood, and she had not gone far in the shallow water, when she dropped over a steep scraped face into deep water. The two ladies ran fully dressed to her assistance, but they also, being unaware of the sudden dip slid over it. The rush of the tide is very strong on that bank, and they were all quickly carried up the river, struggling and screaming. J. Beer put off in a boat and recovered the bodies of both the ladies floating about 400 yards from the scene of the accident. They were quickly got ashore, and for atr hour and a half strenuous efforts to resuscitate them were made by Miss Williamson, a South African nurse; Mrs L. W. Fetched, who is an ex-hospital matron; Mr Livesey, who also has had experience, and other, but without avail. Tne body of the girl was found early the next morning still nearer the town.

Mrs Fisher, who leaves six children, was the wife of John Fisher, one time manager of the Ward Farmers Association, now of Otautau. She was a Timaru lady, and a sister ot Mr Thomson, whose wife was the other victim, The latter was a daughter of W. B. Scandrett, for a long time town clerk of Invercargill, and afterwards mayor. Mrs Thomson leaves two children. Had the tide been full there would probably have been no fatality, as the girl would not have required to wade out to deeper water. The potlike hole in which they were drowned is known to residents to be dangerous, but no warning notice appears to have been thought necessary.