CONSTABLE DROWNED

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 102, 1 May 1937, Page 21

CONSTABLE DROWNED

CAPSIZE OF BOAT

duck-shoot:ng tragedy

(By Telegraph—Press ■'Association.) AUCKLAND, April 30.

A police constable stationed at Port Chalmers, who was spending his leave at: Mercer, was drowned when a boat in, which he and a, companion .were proceeding to a duck-shooting stand on the Whangamarino Stream capsized this afternoon. The victim was Gordon George Medhurst;' aged' 29, a married man, whose: wife is spending a holiday at- Ohakune. ' , -? In company with Mr. Alfred Parrish, of Northcote, Mr. Medhurst set off, in a small duck boat from Mercer with the intention of visiting the shooting location, which was situated on the stream about three miles from its mouth. However, before the stand was reached-, the boat overturned, the occupants being flung into the 7 water/ Mr. Parrish struck out for the bank, which he reached after an arduous swim in an exhausted condition, but Mr. Medhurst almost immediately disappeared. When equipment- was obtained from Pukekohe, dragging operations were

commenced by the police tonight and Mr. Medhurst's body was recovered near, the scene of the capsize at 9 o'clock.

Mr. Medhurst, who,was the youngest son of Mr., and Mrs.,T.; Medhurst,. of Bombay, was born in Cambridge, and joined the ~ Police Force seven years ago. At the time of the fatality he was spending a holiday with his1 brother, Mr. S. Medhurst, Mercer., Here his wife was to have joined him'after a visit to Ohakune. ' -;■■--