BOILING SURF.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18890, 4 January 1927, Page 8

BOILING SURF.

BATHERS IN PERIL.

RESCUE WORK AT WAIHI BEACH. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, January 3. The danger of venturing beyond recognised limits when surf bathing was illustrated at Waihi Beach yesterday, when two young men, J. Keoghan, of Waihi, and A. Hargreaves, of Paeroa, got into difficulties and together with another man, who went to their assistance, were finally brought to shore in an exhausted condition. Keoghan and Hargreaves swain out into the big breakers und wore being buffeted about with apparently little chance of regaining the shore before their plight was recognised by «. Heath, who went to their assistance. Unfortunately Heath himself got into difficulties, from which he was rescued by bis brother, F. Heath, who is » powerful swimmer. , ■Bv this time others had noted the plight of the bathers, and a -life-saving reel was run out. The bolt was thrown to Hargreaves, who, however, failed to grasp it. G. Morton, who had been holding it, lost possession, and got into trouble. Another man, McLeay went to Morton's aid, and brought himto land after a strenuous fight with tne breakers. , _ ~ . A young man named Hulton was next to join the rescue party. Donning the lifebelt, he made for Keoghan, McLeay following him with the lifeline. Bv'tlie time McLeay reached, them Hulton and Keoghan were clinging together, and in serious trouble, but McLeay succeeded in gripping Keoghan s bathing suit, and draeeed him back through the boiling surf to bathers who had . come out as far as possible to Keoghan's condition, when the beach was reached, was such that resuscitative measures had to be taken, and half an hour elapsed before he regained consciousness. Hulton was much exhausted, and McLeay was showing signs of his strenuous efforts. . Hargreaves was still battling for his life and finally succeeded in getting to within reach of the rescuers, about 200 yards further down the beach, where he was dragged ashore by Messrs W. Henderson and H. Thompson in a state of complete exhaustion.