SURF BATHING ACCIDENT

TWO BATHERS DROWNED ON SOUTH BEACH,

CONSTABLE DILLON AND NURSE REGAN.

The beautiful weather of the past few days has brought forth the surfbathers in large numbers, and each day the bathing are a has been crowded. Yesterday there was a very large crowd on the beach, and mjany -were in the surf. The water appeared to a casual observer to be very calm, but appearances were deceptive, for there was a very strong cross-current, which had worn out a ce P S ut at one place. Shortly before four o'clock a party consisting of Nurse Began and Nurse Hymes, both of the Grey- Eiver Hospital Staff, and Constable M v J. Dillon and Mt H. Bowman, were bathing a considerable distance out, Nurse Began and Constable Dillon being well in advance of the others. Nurse Began evidently got into difficulties and Constable Dillon went to her assistance, and she seized hold of him. Constable Dillon called out to Mr Bowman that assistance was required. At this moment Nurse Hymes also got into' difficulties, and Bowman went to her assistance, and after o lesperate struggle succeeded in get-, ting her ashore, both being very much exhausted. A lad named Bevan, a son of Mr Bevan, manager of the Bank of New Zealand, saw the plight that Constable Dillon and Nurse Began were in, and immiediately gave the alarm. The reel on the beach was brough down, but the rope Avas too short. The other reel is kept locked up in a shed, the door of which had to be, broken to reach ft. Master Bevan then went out with the line and found Nurse Began floating in about three feet of water, and ue liiiouiiilciy brought her ashore. There was no sign of Constable Dillon, tvJio had evidently been carried out to sea. Artificial respiration was resoried to in the case of Nurse Began, and kept up for over two hours, but no sign of life was shown. ■ Constable Dillon Avas a splendid swimmer and Avell versed in life-sav-ing Avork, and it is probable that Nurse Began, who was a tall and powerful, girl, caught him unexpectedly, and that he became exhausted Avith the struggle and was carried to sea. Nurse Began, Avho Avas a probationer nurse in tlft Grey Eiver Hospital, belongs to Christchurch, and had been in- Greyniouth onl ya short time. The sad event cast quite a gloom over the tOAvn. \ Constable Dillon, Avho had been in the Police Force about seven years, and for about tA\ r o years in Greynioutn was an Irishman by birth, and about thirty-two years of age. He Avas a splendid type of athlete, and proficient at all kiuds of manly' exercises. He Avas exceedingly popular and his sudden demlise will cause universal regret. •-X-Sinee^--th^>^(a^-^ have been given an account of the accident which differs somewhat. One lad Bevan was bathing near Nurse Began, and said that she was in difficulties. He shouted to those ou the beach to come to her assistance, but no heed was taken by them. Constable Dillon, who was bathing near, hoAvever, quickly; went to her assistance, but she jumiped on his back, clasping him tightly round, the throats Master Bevan had some difficulty in getting ashore, and he then succeeded in making it apparent to those on 1 the beach that assistance was Avanted. Master Bevan 's brother then went out and brought in the body of Nurse' Began as already described. If those on the beach had acted on the first alarm, our informant is convinced that neither Constable Dillon nor Nurse Began AA'ould'have been droAvned..