DISTRESSING CASE OF DROWNING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1112, 11 November 1879, Page 2

DISTRESSING CASE OF DROWNING.

A case of drowning of a very distressing nature occnrred yesterday aftern'pon at the Phoenix Mill dam. A number of children, it appears, were playing near the dam, when one of the party, a little boy eleven years of age, named John i Woodcock, expressed his intention-'Of' wading in the water. Having taken, off his boots and socks, he proceeded to carry out his expressed determination, and commenced wading along in the shallow part of the water,; bj}t he had not enjoyed himself in this manner many minures when he either .slipped down the treacherous bank into deep wafer, or unconsciously w?,ded out of hia depth, and was quickly out of sight. His sister Hannah, observing the child's peril, became alarmed, and rushed in after him, but she, too, lost her footing aiid'disappcared in the deep water. The accident was noticed by a young lad, the sou of Mr. G. Brownlee, from a hill some distance oft Running to the scene of the catastrophe, and without pausing to divest himself of his garments, he rushpd into the watgr

in the hope of saving the children. He was, however, unsuccessful in his gallant neither of the unfortunate children again coming to t*he of the water. After jumping inwas at once raised, and sbon arrived, and to.dragfor the bodies. vntil to hail& - 1 and' thfetfttfolice j | sejite for. TOBCtirfed,! raft ha-™^*beett ; on was after tbef&ccident before the ; body of the girLsas recovered, while the boy's body was not got out until nearly eight o'clock. Hannah Woodcock was a bright, intelligent girl of 13 •<yesrs-is>f**ag»,. and had just :ipassed an; .to cfualify. her •of pupil-teacher at one of the public schools. Much* sympathy is felt for the-parents-in their sad bereavement. It has been decided'tliat an inquest is unnecessary.