RIVER TRAGEDIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 December 1943, Page 2

RIVER TRAGEDIES

YOUTH LOSES LIFE. WHILE SWIMMING IN HUTT RIVER (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Ronald Hudson Scoon, aged 17, of Upper Hutt, was drowned yesterday afternoon while swimming in the Hutt River at the junction with the Whakatiki Stream. It is understood thaw Scoon, who was not a good swimmer,, got into difficulties and was drowned before assistance could reach him. The body was recovered by an American service man. • Artificial respiration was tried unsuccessfully. TARANAKI DROWNINGS. NEW PLYMOUTH, December 12. A drowning occurred in the Waitotara River this afternoon at Ngutuwera when a boy slipped into deep water. He was Colin Frederick Greenhill, aged eight, son of Mr and Mrs R. C. Greenhill, Opaku ,Patea. When the boy slipped from a ledge he was grasped and held for a period, but his struggles became too much for the person holding him and he was carried away and drowned. An eight-year-old girl was drowned at Strandon Beach, New Plymouth, late on Saturday afternoon. She was Merle Joan Sharrock, daughter of Mr and Mrs H. V. Sharrock, New Plymouth. She was bathing with other children, who were unable to do anything when she was carried out of her depth.