HOLIDAY FATALITIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 400434, 28 December 1929, Page 3

HOLIDAY FATALITIES.

YOUNG MAN MESSING AT OTAKI. NARROW ESCAPE AT FOXTON. What seems to have been a sad droAvning accident occurred on the Otaki Beach on Thursday afternoon. 'The 'St. George family Avith Mr. and Mrs. A. H. HaAvk and family, and Miss Bain were together on the beach about 2.30 p.m. when Mr. Waldye St. George signified his intention of having a bathe. The others considered the conditions unsuitable, there being a cold Avind, and young St. George, leaAing his clothes and toAvol on the beach, entered the AA’ater. No one seems to have noticed him after that, and as- he -was accustomed to indulge in sun balling in the sand hills, his absence excited no comment. When (he party were ready to return lionne about 5.30, lie had not appeared; his clothes were still on the beach and no trace could be found of the young man. The conclusion ay as forced upon his friends that he had got into difficulties and been carried out. The police A\ r ore communicated Avitli at once and a sharp lookout has been kept along the Beaeli from Otaki to Paraparauniu by searchers on horseback. A heavy sea Avas running and suggestions for search by aeroplane could not be carried out OAving to the conditions. Waldye St. George was 'a young man aalio had lived most of his life in Otaki and was held in high esteem by all who fcneAv him. He Avas a son of the late Ml’. L. St. George, chemist, been employed in Wellington. '

SHANNON RESIDENT’S NARROW ESCAPE. (. A resident of Shannon in the orison of Mr. Sam Mitchell, had a very narrow escape from drowning at the local beach on Thursday. A party were net fishing in a tide, which was described later by Oapt. Larsen as a particularly tricky one, and Mr. Mitchell, who was on the deep end, was noticed to be in-diffi-culty. Two visitors made an attempt to rescue him and succeeded, hut not without risk. Mr. Mitchell was unconscious and his rescuers were in a very . exhausted state when they reached the land. Resuscitation work was immediately commenced on the unconscious man, while awaiting a medical officer, and after some time had elapsod Mr. Mitchell showed signs of reviving. He was conveyed to Foxton, and is now reported little the worse for his ordeal.