BEACH TRAGEDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 290, 7 December 1932, Page 7

BEACH TRAGEDY.

MOTHER AND CHILD. BATHING NEAR DARGAVILLE. HUSBAND'S SAD DISCOVERY. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DARGAVILLE, this day. A double fatality occurred at Mahutu Gorge, a seaside resort six miles from Dargaville, last evening. The victims were: — Williamina Stafford Parkes, married woman, aged 42 years. Irene Grace Parkes, aged about 10 years, her daughter. Mr. T. G. Parkes, a resident of Mangawhare, accompanied by his wife and daughter, went out by motor ear to the beach to gather toheroas. While the husband was gathering toheroas, Mns. Parkes and her daughter went bathing. When the husband returned from his quest, he could not eee anything of hie wife or daughter, and, after an unsuccessful search, he motored to the nearest telephone, some five miles distant, to ask for a search party to come out. A number of residents and members of the police force immediately responded. The hour wae fairly late, but after a short search in the moonlight the mother's body was found at highwater mark. No one saw the accident, but it is surmised that the mother saw her daughter in difficulties, rushed to her assistance, fell on her face and was suffocated. There was no water in her body when found. The search for the body of the daughter was continued all night, but so far no trace has 'been found. An inquest on the body of Mrs. Parkes will be formally opened this afternoon. It is stated that the 'beach, is dangerous for bathing, especially when, the tide is on the ebb, ae was the case laet evening.