LAKE TRAGEDY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 June 1939, Page 6

LAKE TRAGEDY

SHOOTER DROWNED NEAR PIGEON BUSH WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RECOVER BIRD. EFFORT TO REACH VICTIM FAILS. (“Times-Age” Special.) While attempting to recover a bird that had been shot, a single man named Percy Baron, aged 25, eldest son of Mr and Mrs W. Baron, of Pigeon Bush, was drowned on Saturday afternoon in Wairarapa Lake near Pigeon Bush. It appears that Mr Baron was shooting with his brother-in-law, Mr Thomas Millar and undressed and swam out into the lake to retrieve a bird that had been shot. When returning with the bird Mr Baron was seen to sink, probably having been seized with cramp. Mr Millar, who could not swim, waded out as far as possible to give assistance but could not reach his mate and experienced some difficulty in getting back himself. He immediately went for help. Dragging operations were commenced on Saturday afternoon and continued yesterday by a party of twenty men under the direction of Constable A. McLeod. The body was recovered yesterday afternoon.

The late Mr Baron was well known in the district and had worked on his father’s farm at Pigeon Bush and also for contractors.

An inquest was held at Featherston this morning when the Coroner (Mr T. E. Lang) returned a verdict of’accidental drowning. The police expressed appreciation for the assistance received in dragging operations.