RESCUER BELIEVED DROWNED

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 14568, 12 January 1948, Page 3

RESCUER BELIEVED DROWNED

SAVED ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD

DAUGHTER

PROMINENT OFFICIAL OF

TREASURY (P.A.) Wellington, Jan. 11. The second assistant secretary to the Treasury, Dr. Athol Reay Ferguson • Mackay, is believed to have been drowned after rescuing his 11-year-old daughter when she got into difficulties while bathing at Raumati South this afternoon. Dr Mackay’s daughter Valerie, and Clare Childs, aged about 12, of Raumati, had been bathing at about 5.30 when Clare Childs reported that Valerie Mackay was in difficulties. Dr Mackay immediate 1 :'- went out, followed by a Mrs Holland. He was bringing his daughter in when she was taken from him by a stranger, thought to be a member of the Manly Life-Saving Club, Sydney, who applied successful rcsuscitative measures.

Mrs Holland was returning to the beach when she noticed that Dr Mackay was missing. The alarm was immediately given and within a few minutes members of the Paekakariki Life-Saving Club had a reel and line on the spot. A full muster of club members took part in the search for Dr Mackay. There was a fair surf running at the time and the efforts of the life-saving team were unsuccessful. Two aircraft from the Wellington Aero Club left Rongotai at about 6.40 to join in. the search but their pilots had seen nothing of the missing man when they returned shortly after 8 o’clock.

Dr Mackay, whoso home was at Homewood Avenue, Karori, was on holiday at the beach.