TWO MEN DROWNED AT TE WHITI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 2988, 19 January 1926, Page 3

TWO MEN DROWNED AT TE WHITI.

AN ILL-FATED PICNIC.

Masterton, January 17. A distressing double drowning accident, involving great personal sacrfice by a soldier settler in an endeavour to save the life of an employee, occurred at Te Whiti today. It resulted in the death of Joseph Ernest Sewell, married, aged 32, dairy farmer, and Stanley Richmond, aged 17, a farm. hand. The fatality was the tragic ending to a picnic, the party comprising Mr. and Mrs Sewell, Mr. and Mrs Thorpe neighbours of the Sewell’s), and Richmond. After lunch the men went swimming, and when they had been about an hour in the water’. Richmond, who was a poor swimmer, got into difficulties. Observing his plight, Sewell went to his assistance, but being only a moderate swimmer, found the task too great. Faced with the sight of two men almost drowning, Mr. Thorpe endeavoured to effect a rescue, but after getting Sewell almost to safety, the latter, too exhausted to hold on, slipped back into deep water. By this time Mr. Thorpe himself was all but exhausted, and within view of the distressed women reluctantly had to acknowledge defeat, so that the Runmahunga River claimed two more victims. When he had recovered, Mr. Thorpe summoned assistance, and a doctor was sent for. Mr C. Saville, who was bathing further down the river, came to the aid of Mr. Thorpe, and recovered both bodies. Artificial respiration failed to revive either of the victims.

Mr. Sewell, who was an Englishman by birth, had resided in New Zealand since 1008. He served with the Main Body, and later took up a block when Te Whiti was subdivided for soldier settlement. He was a director of the Masterton Hairy Company, a member of the executive of the Gladstone Herd Testing Association, and chairman of the Te Wjhiti Social Committee. He is survived by a widow, who married him in England during the war, and a daughter six years of age. It is understood that Richmond’s parents reside in Auckland. DOUBLE DROWNING IN WAIKATO RIVER. Auckland, Last Night. A distressing fatality occurred in the Waikato river near the TuakauOnewhero bridge yesterday morning, resulting in the death by drowning of Hazel Lapwood, aged 18 years, and Beryl Lapwood, aged 15 years, daughters of Mr and Mrs G. S. Lapwood, of Tuakau. The two girls and a brother, aged 11 years, and a cousin, aged 15 years, were paddling on a sandbank, when Hazel and Beryl stepped over the ledge into deep water. Neither was able to swim and the treacherous current carried them down stream out of sight. An alarm was raised by their ' two companions, and a search party was organised along the bank, and by a launch. The bodies were recovered at midday. OTHER BATHING FATALITIES. Auckland, Last Night. A drowning accident occurred at Pokeno, on Saturday, Barrett David Muir (16) losing his life. He was bathing in a creek with a friend, Frederick Stokes, who could not swim. Muir tried to duck Stokes and both sank, and Muir did not come to the surface again. Stokes was carried away by the stream in an exhausted condition and was rescued by a neighbouring farmer. Christchurch, Last Night. Harry Frank Howard struck his head while diving into shallow water at Akaroa yesterday. He was unconscious when picked . up, and died in the hospital from injuries.