DANNEVIRKE TRAGEDY.

Shannon News, 27 February 1925, Page 3

DANNEVIRKE TRAGEDY.

DOUBLE DROWNING FATALITY AT PUBLIC SWIMMING BATHS. DANNBVIRKE, Feb. 26. A double drowning tragedy occurred at the Dannevirke public baths this afternoon, the victims being a boy of about 5£ years, and a'a adult, aged about 32, a married man without a family. The latter's name was Arthur Urquhart, a returned soldier with one leg,, caretaker of the baths for the Dannevirke Swimming Club who was a fair swimmer. On his way to the baths early in the afternoon he met a lad named Willie Mo'-itgomerie whose parents are residing in Auckland, the boy having been on a visit to his grandfather, Mr. George Bartlett, the well-known hairdresser. The boy was reluctantly given consent by his grandmother to go with Urquhart, the latter promising to look after him, and the boy's cousin, a girl of about seven, who went with them. According to the latter the boy was playing with a, .stick as a boat, at the deep end, when he over-bal-anced. The little girl rushed .to tell the caretaker who at once dived in What happened afterwards is largely conjecture. The girl wCnt for help and then returned to the baths, where she says she saw the boy on top of his would-be rescuer.

When a civilian named Albert Fisher arrived on the scene in response to a hasty summons, the boy was floating a'nd Urquhart lying at the bottom of the baths, near the deep end. The bodies were about five feet apart. Ho pulled-the boy out first, and then dived and brought the man's body out. Urquhart was then apparently dead. Atempts by civilians and a doctor to resuscitate both were maintained for a long time but proved without avail. The tragedy cast a gloom over the town a'nd district. The grandparents of the child are amongst Dannevirke's oldest residents, while Ufcquhart was also well known. He gave his life attempting to rescue a bright boy to whom he was aft"ectionately attached.