THE BATHING FATALITY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 198, 10 January 1913, Page 4

THE BATHING FATALITY.

BODY NOT YET RECOVERED. (By Telegraph-Special to News.) Mokau, Last Night. Ihe search for the body of Harold Hirst, the victim of the bathing fatality on Wednesday, continued till a late hour that night, and from an early hour this morning the beach from the Mokau to the Awakino river, about ten miles in extent, was patrolled by the residents of the town and Mr. Moves, headmaster of the New Plymouth High School, hut up to now without success.

The prospect of recovering the body is not considered bright, as the strong current at the spot where the lad was lost would almost of a certainty draw the body into the ocean. The currents just about here are very strong and erratic. Where the boys had previously bathed was perfectly safe. Had the boys known of the danger there would have been no fatality. The new arrivals naturally concluded that one part of the beach was as good as another, and simply waded in at the handiest spot. ' < There were five boys in the party who arrived on Wednesday night, whilst Mr. Moyes was on his way to meet his wife who was coming by the coach, and not three, as at first reported. They consisted of Norman and Allen Little,'lf. Jenkiiwon, S. Candy and the unfortunate lad' Harold Hirst, The lads Little are prefects at the school, and finding the master absent assumed authority over the other lads, some of whom, seeing them' going in to bathe, thought there was nothing wrong in following suit. It is true Mr. Moyes had given instructions to the lads not to go into the water during his absence. This rule was made at the opening of the camp, and the warning was not given again before Mr. ■Moyes left for the coach, as at firstwas led to believe. T mention this because it could be gathered from the previous report that the boys deliberately broke the, master's instruction. This was not actually the case. They took their lead from the prefects, who were unconscious of the rule made at the beginning of the camp. As a matter of fact, the boys "swear by" their master, and' are pleased to obey his wishes in every regard. A more loyal set of lads you could not find. There was some talk to-day of break- , ing up camp to-morrow, and Mr. Moves staying on to assist in the search for the body, but at the time of telephoning nothing definite had been agreed upon.

The News was greatly in demand this afternoon, as it has been all along the line to Awakino since the opening of the daily mail service. With a daily mail and a daily paper we are able to keep in touch.with what is going on in the outside world, and consequently do not feel our isolation as hitherto.