SURFING TRAGEDY AT NEW BRIGHTON.

Shannon News, 28 November 1924, Page 4

SURFING TRAGEDY AT NEW BRIGHTON.

WOULD-BE RESCUER DROWNED WITH ANOTHER. ONE BODY STILL UNIDENTIFIED. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. Two young men, one of them Clarence E. Scholfield, of Auckland were drowned to the surf at Nortk New Brighton this afte r noon. Scholfield was a com mercial traveller employed by Messrs Nathan ana Co., of. Auckland, and his mother resides in Parneil. It is thought that he got into difficulties while trying td save an unknown man. whose body has not yet been recovered. Scholfield was brought ashore after a big struggle ih the surf, but efforts to resuscitate him failed, although has rescuers believe that life was not extinct when he was laid on the beach. Both men undressed in the bathing shed at 11 a.m. and went out on to At about 12.45 p.m. a woman standing on the beach, heard cries and saw someone in difficulties. Scholfield went out to the assistance of the man, who was som e distance from the shore .On the alarm being given, Mr H Ronaldson, motor salesman, and a friend, also plunged ih and reachea Scholfield, who. had given up hope, and was saying: "I'm done, I'm done." There was an undercurrent, and the channels made progress difficult. Ronaldson's companion swam back- for the life line, Ronaldson keeping Scholfield. upv Through no other swimmer being on the beach, the other man, who wa s considerably exhausted, had to return with the line. Scholfield gripped the belt and was hauled to within 15 yards of the shore, where he seemed to collapse, and had to be carried out. Dr. Glasgow ..tried for an hour to restore respiration, but without success. The rescuers saw no sign of tne other, man, and it is supposed the body wa s swept out and down the beach. A slight clue of his identity is a mourning pocket hankerchier, marked "Mrs Bruns." .„,_,,, ' LATER. The name of the missing man may be Alexander Wiiford Anderson, who boarded at 700 Gloucester street, City, and who has not returned to tne house since leaving it this morning. The description given of his clothes to the New Brighton police this evening, tallies with the unclaimed gaV ments in their possession.