TWO BATHERS DROWNED

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 564, 17 January 1929, Page 6

TWO BATHERS DROWNED

BULLER FATALITIES RESCUE OF THIRD MAN i Press Association WESTPORT. Wednesday. Two bathing fatalities occurred in the Buller district to-day. Mr. Vivian Clark, a senior apprentice on the ship Trevvidden, which arrived from Wellington at 1 p.m. to-day, went for a bathe in the floating basin with Mr. Potter, a fellow-apprentice. Mr. Potter swam out to a buoy, and was returning to the shore when he passed Mr. Clark. Looking round as he was near the shore, he saw Clark disappearing, and swain over toward him, but saw nothing further of him. The body was recovered 20 minutes later by officers of the steamer Kaimanawa, who arrived on the scene with a rope. The deceased was IS years of age, and was born at Port Talbot, South Wales, where his parents reside. The other fatality occurred at Karumea, the victim being Mr. Charles Hodgson, aged 20, a driver for Mr George Burrows, the mail contractor for the Westport-Kurumea service. Mr. Hodgson and Mr. Ron Simpson were bathing in a lagoon at Quinlan’s Bridge when Mr. llodgson got out of his depth, and was drowned. Mr. Simpson also had a narrow escape, Mr. A. Roadman, sen., bringing him out in an exhausted state. An inquest was held this evening by the coroner, Mr. Pox, concerning the .loath of Mr. Clark, when a verdict of accidental drowning was returned.