OARSMAN DROWNED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 71, 5 January 1950, Page 4

OARSMAN DROWNED

ATTEMPT TO RESCUE ONE OF CREW ROUGH SEAS DURING REGATTA (P.A.) NEW PLYMOUTH, jan. 4. The stroke of the Patea crew was drowned'' off the port of New Plymouth during a regatta yesterday, afternoon just before the start of a boat race. He was: Norman Brungar, aged 20. Eight boats were jockeying around to line up in a rough sea about a quarter of a mile out from the breakwater when a member of the Patea crew, apparently under the impression that the boat was sinking, went overboard. Brungar, a strong swimmer, followed him in an attempt to save him, but as the rescue launch arrived on the scene Brungar disappeared. The other man was saved. Whipped up to a crop by the brisk breeze, the sea throughout the afternoon was tricky for small craft, and in this particular race, of the seven boats that started only three, eventually came home., CRUSHED UNDER SHEAR-LEG

BOY PINNED BY NECK (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan.' 4. A nine-year-old boy from Hutt*Valley was killed within a few yards of his home to-night. He was found 20 minutes after he left his home, pinned by the neck under a metal shear-leg, weighing scwt. He was: t i Trevor Martin Clark, whose home adjoins the Hutf Valley Electric Power Board’s yard, where the boy was killed. His father, Mr Andrew 4 Clark, is an employee of the board. The boy left home to ride his bicycle in ’the power board yard. Twenty minutes later his father found him beside a heavy truck. The accident is believed to have occurred when the boy rode his cycle alongside the truck on-which the legs were standing. He apparently touched them, causing them to overbalance and fall on him.

BOY AGED EIGHT DROWNED

ATTEMPT TO RESCUE GIRL AGED 10 • (P.A.) ‘ AUCKLAND, Dec. 4. While attempting, to rescue a “10-year-old girl who was in difficulties while swimming in the Panmureßasin about midday yesterday, a Maori boy was drowned. He was: Peter Pira, aged eight, who has been living with Mr Thomas Pira, Panmure Road, Panmure. , The boy had been swimming > with several other children and ha<) returned to the shore when he noticed Kathleen Morgan, aged 10, in difficulties. He went to her assistance, hut got in difficulties aqd disappeared. Mr T. H. Ryan, of 10 Court Crescent, Tamaki, was on the beach at the time and rescued the girl, but could find no trace df the bog. , The police were informed and the police launch was immediately sent to the basin. Dragging throughout the afternoon was'unsuccessful. \