A NEW ZEALANDER’S BRAVERY

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9096, 16 March 1908, Page 7

A NEW ZEALANDER’S BRAVERY

An Auckland gentleman now travelling in Europe has sent to the Auckland Star thd'foilowing clipping translated from an Italian newspaper, dealing with an incident in which an important part was played by a young New Zealander, well known in athletic circles, Mr Arthur Sims, formerly captain of the New Zealand and Canterbury representative cricket teams. It must be understood that the information has been sent to New Zealand entirely without Mr Sims’s knowledge:— “This afternoon Madam Serini. residing in the Oalle dell ’Aroo, Venice, was going to Murano to call on the family of Sig. Toso Luigi, son of Fernahdo, a partner in the firm'd’ Ferro Toso and Co. She was accompainied by her little girl Bbe, five years old. About three o’clock the lady, with the little girl, started on the return journey to Venice, being accompanied to the Oolonna tram station by the wife of Signor Toso, who had brought with her another little girl. On reaching the tram the child Ebe mounted it at once, but, turning round to bid another farewell to the other little girl, slipped, and was precipitated into the very deep Ship Canal. At the cry of help from • the passengers and staff, an Englishman, Mr A. Sim, who was staying at the Hotel Vittoria, and who was in a small steamer with two ladies, without the slightest hesitation dressed just as be stood, dived into the canal and brought the little pet into safety, amid the applause of the people. The weeping mother clasped in her arms the little girl, who was at once taken to the house of Signor Toso. Meantime the Englishman was assisted out at Sig. Toso’s factory. The doctor was sent for, and Doctor Luigi Pasqualigo the sanitary official, arrived and examined both the little girl and the Englishman, but, with the exception that the child was somewhat frightened, neither had sustained any injury. Sig. E. Favare procured some clothing for the foreigner, and.assistedjhim to dry and re-dress himself. The most heartfelt thanks are tendered to Mr Sims, in the name of the little girl and of the husband, by Madam Serini, who asks us to publish this act of courage.’’