SCHOOLBOY DROWNED

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 57, 30 May 1927, Page 7

SCHOOLBOY DROWNED

A lad named Robert Norquay, a schoolboy, aged 14, son of Mr. John Norquay, launch proprietor, of Rangiriri, was accidentally drowned in the Waikato River at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Accompanied by his brother John, deceased went to the riverside and Robert entered a small flat-bottomed punt, which was tied up in a small estuary alongside the stream. Freeing the painter the occupant started to paddle about in the still water, but on reaching the strong current the lad apparently became frightened and jumped into the water to get ashore. Unfortunately it was 14 feet deep, and not being able to swim, and severely handicapped by wearing longgum boots,-the poor lad was fast carried away with the current. John Norquay, seeing his brother’s plight, dashed to his mother for help, but too late, for the boy had disappeared when assistance arrived. The dinghy was picked up a quarter of a mile down the stream by the father of the boy, who was returning home with his launch after the fatality occurred, so that had the lad kept in the boat the disaster would have been avoided. Senior Constable Ingram and another officer were promptly on the scene with grappling gear and they were successful in recovering the body at 11 a.m. yesterday, close to the locality where deceased was last seen.