A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1915, 14 December 1918, Page 1

A SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

Q, MOTHER AND THREE CHIL-

REN PERISH

One of the saddest tragedies recorded in Victoria occurred on Tuesday, 12th November, when the wife and three children of Mr Walter Pratt, farmer and grazier, of Pranjip, were drowned in a dam on the property. The only witness of the tragedy was a seven-year-old boy, and bis account is very hue - herent. It appears that this child and his sister, Susie, aged about ten years, were playing near the dam, and the girl decided to have a ride in an old tub which was floating on the dam. She undressed and sat on the frail boat, which overturned, and she was thrown into (be water. The buy summoned an cider girl, Mary, aged 12, who Avas near by. The dam has very steep sides, near where the tulf'drifted, and there are also a number of deep holes. The girl, alary, soon got into difficulties, and fell in. With this second tragedy happening before his eyes the little boy was quite distracted. He ran to the homestead and acquainted bis mother, who apparently rushed to the dam and met the same fate as her two girls. The eldest boy shortly afterwards arrived homo from Longwood Station, to which he hail driven his fa I her, who was going to Melbourne on business. He was attracted to the dam by the shrieks of bis mother, and immediately tried to render assistance, but, unfortunately, be was unable to swim, and, getting into one of the boles, was also drowned. Sobbing pitifully, the little boy then went for assistance to the residence of Mr R.. Cullen, distant about two miles. Mr and Mrs Cullen immediately went to the scene of the tragedy, and Mr Cullen’s son, with the assistance of Mr Grosvenor and Mr J. Hogan, other neighbours, dragged the hole in the moonlight and recovered all the bodies. Mr Pratt came to the district only a few months ago from the vicinity of Dollar, near Foster, on the South Gippslaml line. He is now left with four young children, the baby being 20 months old, and the eldest the seven-year-old boy.