FATALITY NEAR HAWERA.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1921, Page 4

FATALITY NEAR HAWERA.

YOUNG LADY DROWNED. SINKS WHILE SWIMMING. A drowning accident resulting in the death of a young lady, Miss Violet Honeyfield, who is well known in New Plymouth, occurred in the Waingongoro River, near Hawera, yesterday. Miss Honeyfield, with a young man named Brooks, was swimming in the river at a spot some distance from the beach, when she was heard to call for help. Brooks swam to the spot, and succeeded in reaching Miss Honeyfield, but owing to her struggles he had to relinquish his hold, and she sank. Another young man named Harris, who was on’the bank of the river, endeavored to throw a rope, but did not manage to get it out to the spot. Brooks then dived several times in search of the body, but did not meet with any success. He reached the bank of the river in an exhausted condition. The news of the mishap having spread, a number of people came up from the beach, and diving was continued by some of the swimmers, the body being eventually recovered by a man named Pickering, after it had been over three-quarters of an hour under water. Artificial respiration was tried for some time, but without avail. The late Miss Honeyfield, who was 26 years of age, was a member of a wellknown New Plymouth family, being a daughter of the’late Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Honeyfleld, who were old residents of the town. She was employed by Ambury Bros., New Plymouth, for a number’of years, and about twelve month* ago left for Hawera to enter the employ of Westaway and Co. An inquest will probably be held tomorrow.