SAD DROWNING ACCIDENT AT HORAHORA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1798, 15 January 1884, Page 2

SAD DROW NING ACCIDENT AT HORAHORA.

A drowning accident of a very sad character occurred at Horahora, near the b.mk of the Waikato river, on Saturday last, by which the daughter of Mr John Sharp, nurseryman, Cambridge, lost her life. In the forenoon the mother of the little girl, the latter being only about four years of age, in company with two other ladies, went to have a bath in the Pokaiwhenua creek, selecting a shallow and apparently safe corner for the purpose. Two of Mrs Sharp's children, a boy aud a girl, accompanied the party. The ladies having had their batii, stripped the little girl, and, the mother remaining in the water, she was sent in to her to be bathed likewise. The unfortunate child seems to have entered the water ill a dangerous place unobserved, and was instantaneously swept away by the current, which a few feet below the bathing corner is very strong and rapiii, and never appeared on the surface again. The mother, who as miy be expected was greatly shocked by seeing her little girl carried away before her very eyes, exerted herself to recover her, but in stead of succeeding in her endeavours was nearly meeting a like fate. A number of men working some distance away were communicated with, and these, together with Mr Geoffrey Maclean, who was soou on the spot, exerted themselves all in their power to find the body, but without success The body is thought to have been immediately washed through into the rapids of the Waikato river at that place, and from thence on down tl c river. Much sympathy is felt for tie bereaved parents, to w horn the loss is a serious one. About the timp of the accident Mr Sharp had just started from CamInidge to spend a holiday with his family at Horahora, and was met on the road by a mesenger who apprised him of the sad occinence.