LITTLE BOY MISSING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3841, 6 September 1928, Page 2

LITTLE BOY MISSING.

BELIEVED DROWNED IN MANAWATU RIVER. A little boy named Jimmy Morgan, aged five years, is missisg from a farmhouse at Whirokino and is believed to have been drowned in the Manawatu River. The child is the son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Morgan, of Park Street, Foxton, and was staying with Mr. and Mrs. Whitlow, whose farm is situated along the northern bank of the Manawatu River just above the Whirokino Bridge. The child accompanied Mr. and Mrs. Whitlow’s daughter, Thelma, on a whitebaiting expedition yesterday afternoon and shortly after their return from the river about 3 o’clock he was found to be missing. A careful search of the swamp and surrounding district was made last evening and continued to-day, but at the time of going to press no sign of the unfortunate child had been seen. The police were communicated with last evening, and dragging operations were immediately carried out in the river by Constables Owen and Bell and assistants, and continued to-day, but without result.

The child, who was just over five years of age, and a pupil of the local State School) became unwell shortly before the recent vacation, and was sent out to Mr. Whitlow’s farm to recuperate. On school resuming on Tuesday, lie had stayed on for a further few days’ holiday. In conversation with Thelma Whitlow, who is 14 years of age, our representative was informed that the boy had accompanied her to the river shortly after dinner to fish for whitebait. At about 3 o’clock she remarked that they had better go home for afternoon tea, and this they decided to do. They climbed up the bank and the boy was still with her when she got through the fence. Thelma went into the house, which, was quite nearby, but did not notice where the lad went to. About ten minutes later it was noticed that he was missing. A search was instantly instituted but without no sign of him could lie seen.

It appears as if the child had gone back to the river after the girl had gone inside and by some means fallen into the water and become drowned.