THREE BOYS DROWNED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 246, 18 October 1927, Page 5

THREE BOYS DROWNED.

BOATING IN CRAZY PUNT.

LITTLE GIRL GIVES ALARM. 'TT DIDN'T COME UP AGAIN." SEARCHERS FIND ONE BODY. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. Three boys were drowned in the Heathcote River this afternoon. Their names are:— John Downing, aged eleven years. George Eden, eight. Alexander Eden, six. Gripped by terror, Dollie Downing, the six-year-old cousin of the eldest of the children, rushed to her mother shortly after 4.30 p.m. and told her that she had been standing on the bank when the three boys pushed an old boat into the water and boarded it to cross to the other side. "It went under," she said, "and it didn't come up again. Jackie's drowned and so are the other boys." None of those in the room took the little tot seriously at first. "It's true," wailed the child. "I saw them go under the water."

Pathetic Scene at River. Investigation revealed that the children were nowhere in sight. The police were called, and three constables went down to the river. It was clear that what the girl had said was true, for tlie children had not returned to their homes. The searchers took her down to the river side and asked her to point out the spot where the boat had sunk. She pointed with trembling finger in the direction of the river, but did not speak. Three men, having obtained a flatbottomed boat, went out with boathooks and searched the river for the bodies and the punt, which had completely disappeared. In the darkness they rowed up and down opposite the place where the punt had been launched, while a large crowd gathered on the bank. In the later stages of the search the men in the boat were helped largely bv lisrhts from cars and motor cycles drawn up on the bank. The rays were thrown on to the water and across the river, and kept the boat in view of the watchers.

Soon after 8 p.Tfi. the crowd on the bank heard a cry from the boat, "Found one," and presently George Eden's body was lifted out and Traced in the arms of a man who stenned out to receive it. A few minutes later the body was nlaced in a car and taken to the boy's home.

Further Search Fruitless. The crew went out on to the river again and dragged for three-quarters of an hour longer, but no trace was found of the other bodies or of the boat. The searchers relinquished their work at 8.45 p.m. and came ashore. Jack Downing, who was eleven years old yesterday, was an only child. His mother was not informed of the tragedy until late in the evening, when she returned home from town. George and Alex. Eden were members of a family of eight, living at Bamford Street. Woolston. The three were mates, and were often together.

Nobody hut the little girl Downing wa? near the snot when the drownine occurred, but it is understood that the punt was in such a had condition thnt the hove had to huddle tog?l ner at one end in oTder to rpi«e the «ther end out of the water. They had n:> paddles.

The river runs swiftly when the tide is ebbin?, hut the tide was almost spent when the hoys ventured out. There is about eisrht feet of water at to"v tide. ■Residents who know the river wed state Uiat at that place there is aboiit four feet of soft mud.