HARBOUR FATALITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 June 1938, Page 2

HARBOUR FATALITY

WATERSIDE WORKER DROWNED.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 22.

A waterside worker, Charles Melville Holmes, aged 70, of Eden Terrace, was drowned when he fell into the harbour from the Northern Wharf tonight. His body was recovered almost immediately by Mr William Lomas who was also walking along the wharf and who dived into the harbour in an attempt to rescue Mr Holmes. Mr Holmes had gone to the King’s Wharf to answer a call for work on the coastal ship Pukeko. However, the ship did not arrive in time and, in company with Mr F. C. Shugar, another waterside worker, Mr Holmes walked back toward the city along the eastern sid.e of the Northern Wharf. Suddenly Mr Shugar heard a splash, and he found Mr Holmes had disappeared. He ran to the side of the wharf and saw Mr Holmes struggling in the water. Mr Shugar could not swim, so he called out for help. His cries were heard by Mr Lomas who was a short distance ahead, and he immediately turned and dived in fully clothed. Mr Lomas succeeded in catching hold of Mr Holmes and, with the assistance of a lifebelt which was thrown him, he brought him to the side of the wharf. Both men were then pulled up on to the wharf, but Mr Holmes was unconscious and artificial respiration applied, first by. men on the wharf and later by ambulance officers, failed to revive him.