DROWNED IN THE MANAWATU.

Shannon News, 23 November 1923, Page 3

DROWNED IN THE MANAWATU.

GALLANT RESCUE ATTEMPT FAILS. An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Leslie Thomas .Tones, who was' drowned at Koputaroa on 'Tuesday, was held on Wednesday. MrW. C. Nation, of Levin, district coroner, presided. George Jones, labourer, Koputaroa!, identified deceased as his son, aged 19 years. He Avas employed by Messrs N Sloan and Kernohan, farmers, of Koputaroa. Wtness last .saw his son. alive about 9. p.m. on November 19, when he left home.* On Tuesday afternoon Albert Edgiely came to where witness was working and said “Dick” (as he Avas ahvays called), “has been drowned in the Manawatu River/’ Witness went to the scene of the. accident and remained there until the body was recovered at 5.20 p.m. He understood deceased could swim a little.

Albert Ed.gely, aged: 17, a fellow employee of deceased, said they Avent to the Manawatu River to bathe betAveen 1 arid 1.30 p.m. They had beeii in the river several times before- this season. .Tones AV-as just learning and could sAvim about len yards. He never went deeper Ilian up to his waist. Witness entered the water first on the day of the accident and swam out to the -middle of the met. He looked back and: saw Jones struggling in the river. Witness swam back and got bold of him under' the arms, but deceased struggled and \yitriess had to seize him, V bv the hair. ~A launch: going down the river oarne tenvards them, and was about a. ’.Chain away when deceased disappeared. Witness lost his grip on Jones and then gripped him with his feet round the body./ He got him to' the surface, but Jones pot free and he lost sight of him. The men on the flax punt saw the accident, and one of them dived to see if he could ge,t the body. Witness AVas a fairly good swimmer and hiad had lessons in. life saving. David Kernoham, one of deceased’s employers, said he had been forbidden to go "into the river, as it was considered dangerous. There was a pool near the river in Avlhich he was at liberty to bathe. The police dragged for the body Avhich was recovered from water about 15 feet deep. A verdict Avas returned by the coroner that deceased was accidentally droAvned whilst bathing in the Mania 1 - Avatu river,, no blame being attachable to 'any one.