MAN DROWNED.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18911, 28 January 1927, Page 10

MAN DROWNED.

FISHING PARTY CAUGHT BY TIDE. TRAGEDY AT WAIMAKAKIRI MOUTH. A member of a trawling party of sis, Robert Fraser, of 233 Kilmoro street, was drowned at the mouth of the AVaimakariri llivcr yesterday morning, and

the body was found by two boys near the scene of the tragedy at half-past three yesterday afternoon.

The fishing party went out at about • 4.30 a.m. and crossed the bar at low ' tide. At about 7 a.m. they decided to ■ return, but found that the tide had , risen rapidly and they were wading in about six feet of water with a strong undertow. When about half-way across on the return journey tho part} got into difficulties and had to swim ' strenuously'. Fairly good headway : was being made when a cry for help came from. Frasor, who, unable to swim, was seen to b© in great difficulty. Tho others turned their attentions to Eraser, and two of tho men managed to get hold of him, but were forced to let go. Repeated attempts were mado to save Fraser, and eventually Harold Jefcoate, a member of the party, secured him, and put up a determined fight in an endeavour to get the drowning man to the shore. Jefcoate gradually became exhausted, however, and had to release Fraser, who quickly disappeared. Jefcoate and the remainder of the party reached the shore after a long struggle. Tho police at Belfast, Kaiapoi, Christchurch, and New Brighton were informed, .and Constables Moore, Griffon, Holmes, and Hislop, accompanied by many residents from near the scene of the tragedy, formed a search party, which worked until 3.30 p.m., when the body was found. Fraser was a fair distance out when he got into trouble and apparently was unable to turn and get to the Kairaki side. At low tide- it is possible to wade for about two chains from the Brooklands side of the river. Then a deep channel is encountered, bearing a strong current. Since the last big flood the mouth of tho river has shifted considerably towards Brooklands, and the change in tho lie of the land and the current added to tho danger and the difficulty in which the fishermen found themselves. The body was found by two youths who were bathing on the New Brighton side of tho mouth of the river, about a mile south of the Styx. The youths swam over to Kairaki and there entered into conversation with a polioe member of the search party, who remarked that it would be curious if they found the body. A little later they swam '.baok, a distance at that spot of about 400 yards, and the constable watched their movements with a pair of binoculars. When near the shore they stopped swimming and waved. A police party then put off in a boat, and discovered that had been found. The oody was found by Roy G. Dawson, of 390 Barbadoes street," Christchurch., Fraser was a married man and leaves a widow and three children. The body •was brought back to the City last evening. The deceased left New Zealand witft Body as a member o£ flie GY.C. After serving in Egypt he volunteered for France, joining the Army Service Corps. He served right through the War, and spent six weeks in Cologne with the Army of Occupation after tfie Armistice. _ . . \' He was a son of Mr William Fraser, 1 of Avonside, who is well-known as a bowler and fancier. Inquest Opened. Evidence of identification was given by deceased's brother, lan Fraser, when an inquest was opened last night at the Christchurch Hospital, before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M. The inquest will probably -be concluded to-day.