PATHETIC CASE AT NEW BRIGHTON.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14564, 15 January 1913, Page 9

PATHETIC CASE AT NEW BRIGHTON.

I MOTHER DROWNED IN SIGHT QF HER CHILDREN, BROTHER-IN-LAW'S HEROIC SACRIFICE. ! _____ Quito unusual pathos attaches to a i double drowning fatality which occurred ! afc New Brighton late yesterday afterj noon. Not tho surf, but the river this time claimed the victims—Mabel Highet, aged thirty-two, wife of Gibb Highet, and her brother-in-law, John Highet, aged thirty-seven. John Highet was an electrical engineer who worked in Christchurch. Ho had a small home in Bexley road, Bexley, which is just on the town side of tho river at New Brighton. Hβ was a bachelor, and was lame in his right leg, but was able to use a bicycle. His brother and his wife and their two children, after a recent trip to Wellington, were staking with him. Yesterday Gibb Highet, xhe husband, went to work as usual, and in the afternoon his brother and wife, probably influenced by the excessive heat of the day, determined to go fer a bathe. Apparently they donred their costumes at home and mado their way to tho boat with overcoats on, as when found the boat contained only these and a white singlet worn by Highet. They took with them the two children, Clive and Campbell, boys aged five and three years respectively. THE ACCIDENT. Tho accident took place in Herring Bay, which is on the opposite side of the rive • from their home, and about half a mile or so from the pier across the nock of land separating the estuary from tho sea. Apparently on arrival there ths boat was secured and the children placed on the bank. Aβ to what ha )penod next, two small boys named I'rands Churton and Augustus Ford cai alono testify. They were standing on the bank near-by, and say that the woman got out of her depth and tha- tho man went to her assistance. Joth sank, and the boys ran and told John Henry Stewart, aged sixteen, who with a bicycle carried tho news immediately to Constable R-owe, at the Police Station at New Brighton. At the t.me the accident happened the river wa; low and the tide just making. The spoil is a dangerous one at low tide, and some three years ago a drowning fatality occurred there, and at the request of the # New Brighton Borough Council the X.yttelton Harbour Board placed a lifebuoy and draghook on a stand there for use in case of accident. Unfortunately yesterday there was no one present to-uso them. ATTEMPTS AT RESCUE. Constable itowe, on being informed, at oncu jumped upon his macnino ana cvciea to the spot. He &aw tnero only ! tue two small cn-ldren who had wic- : nessed all unknowingly the deaths of their mother and uncle. Tho constable could do nothing without assistance, : and clashed off in search of it. Ho cycled to the pier, but on his way called in at a "bach" and secured the assistance of Mr E. Haseli, a well--1 known local swimmer. At tho pier the constable appealed to some lifesavers for help, out, according to nje statement, suttered a rebuff, which is dealt with later in this report. He thereupon obtained help from Messrs I John Walker, Geo. Nankivell, J. Glasison and Parr, and hurried to the scene of tho accident. Walker pro- ; duced a drag-net, and search was also made with pronged forks. THE BODIES RECOVERED. The accident occurred at just about !5 15 The bodies were found almost simultaneously at 6.30. They were lying close together in about fourteen feet of water. The drag-net brought up one, and tho fork tho other, iho search while it lasted was arduous and eevere. worked with a wia, from some ha;f dozen boats. On recovery the bodies were placed on the I verandah of a neighbouring house till ! arrangements were made for their re- ! movai to the morgue, which was aocompluhed last evening. Meanwhile the Children were taken charge of by Mr and Mrs Webley, who live near by. I EXTREMELY PATHETIC. The children (although they did not ! realise it) saw their mother drowning before their eyes. AnS their father sat for hours last evening in his brother's homo, ignorant of the news and waiting for the return of tie wife. While the whole township was ringing with the news, this man sat alone and t;ilont, and did net hear oi what had hnppened till a quarter to ten—over four hours after the event. , Ho returned from Christchuroh at ! 6.30 p.m. and found the houso empty. ' Thinking they had gone out for a row ho went down to tho river bank to see if tho boat was away. It was. It was lyino- on the shores of Hcrrmg tsay where just at that time the bodies were being taken from tho water. Seeing tho boat away and assuming that tho ; party were away for a picnic air Hifthet returned to tho house, and sat ! thoro till a neighbouring Territorial returning at about 9.45 found him still J ignorant and told him the news. j IN THE INTERVAL. I Meantime at the police- station and !at tho locality whero tho accident took ! place there was wonderment at his non-appearance. On tho finding of tho bodies Constablo Howe wont to the ' house and was told by neighbours that ' Mr Highet had just come in, found no i one there, and had just run down to ; the beach with his coat off. Sure that iat tho beach tho man would learn oho news and come to the station, Constable Rowe returned there and waited. i Shortiv after his departure Mr Highet (must navo returned .unseen from the I riverside, and re-entered tho house. It ! was a peculiar and pathetic coinctdenco iof visit and absence, that deprived him ! of knowledge for so long, i Tho two bodies were removed to tho j Christchurch Morguo during tho oveni ing-