RESCUED FROM AVON

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21377, 21 January 1935, Page 23

RESCUED FROM AVON

PROMPT ACTION SAVES LIFE YOUTHFUL BATHER IN DANGER Saved from drowning* only by the prompt action of a man jumping fully clothed into the River Avon, and by the patient woYk of Officer C. Pentecost, of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, in applying artificial fespiration for three-quarters of an hour, R. de Roo, aged 16 years, of Hills road, St. Albans, was admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital in a critical condition last evening. De Roo was bathing with his brother and three other boys in the deepened Avon, .opposite where the stand was erected for his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester to watch the river ; carnival on Saturday evening. His i younger brother swam across to the other side, and though he could not see de Roo, he thought that he was !also across the river and behind a tree. 1 Two women who were walking along the river bank noticed de Roo lying deep in the water, and immediately stopped a passing car. The driver rushed to the river bank and, without waiting to strip, went in after the boy. He managed to pull the boy out, and in the meantime one of the women had rung for the ambulance. There wus, however, one of the ambulance nurses by the river at the time, who, with the father of the driver of the car, had started to apply artificial respiration when the ambulance arrived. The boy was black in the face when taken from the river, and the ambulance men applied restorative methods for 20 minutes before he showed any signs of life. Artificial respiration was continued all the way to the hospital in the ambulance, and afterwards in the ward. When the ambulance was leaving the hospital de Roo was showing signs of returning to consciousness. He was then but of danger from drowning, but there was the danger of shock later. Reports from the hospital during the evening were that de Roo was progressing satisfactorily.

TWO CHILDREN DROWNED CAR PALLS INTO STREAM (press association telegram.) HASTINGS, January 20. George Houlton, aged seven years, and Annie Houlton, aged six months, children of Mr and Mrs G. Houlton, of the Kahuranaki district, were killed when a car driven by their father crashed through the railings of a small bridge on the Tuki Tuki road, three miles past Clive, and plunged into a stream late on Saturday night. Mrs Houlton was later admitted to the Napier Hospital with back injuries, but her condition is not serious. Both victims of the tragedy met death by drowning. The car,, in plunging into the stream, overturned and pinned them beneath it when the hood collapsed. Mr Houlton and a daughter, aged 11 years, were not injured. Fortunately, some time alter the ec- ] cident, two other car parties came along and noticing the rail of the bridge torn away, made investigations, and were able to extricate the other members of the party. The stream is narrow and a little more than eight feet wide and two feet deep. , MOTOR-CYCLIST INJURED A fracture of the right thigh and a scalp wound were sustained by John • Capstick, of Cuff's road, Sandilands, when the motor-cycle and side-car he was riding overturned in New Brighton on Saturday evening. Mr Capstick, with his wife and two children, was riding along Richmond terrace between Union and Rodney streets when the machine crossed the road, and mounting the pavement struck a fence and overturned. The injured man was attended by Dr. W. T. Glasgow, and taken by the St. John Ambulance to the hospital. One of the children suffered from scratches about the face and slight shock.

SEAMAN FALLS FROM HAMMOCK Able-Seaman W. Whitney, of; H.M.A.S. Australia, received serious injuries to his head, which may include a fractured skull, when he fell from the hammock in which he was lying. The St. John Free Ambulance received a call to Lyttelton at 6 p.m., and brought Whitney into the Christchurch Public Hospital. Last evening he was stated still to be in a serious condition,' but was making a good, recovery. FARMER KILLED * (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEOB.AM.) WAIPUKURAU, When the horse he was riding was charged by a Polled Angus bull, which he was driving to his property in Pettit's Valley, Ongaonga, James Ethelbert Masters, aged 51, was fatally injured in a fall. He was.a wellknown settler. He leaves a widow, and two sons and a daughter.

SWEPT OUT TO SEA (PBEHS A.BSOCUTJOH TBLEQHAM.) WHANGAEEI, January 19. Mary Overton, an Auckland girl, aged 12, was drowned last evening' at Mitimiti, on the west coast, near Hokianga Harbour, when bathing in the surf with other children. She was carried out to sea so quickly that attempts at rescue were impossible. GIRL DROWNED (FUSS* ABSOCUTJOS TBLBQIUM.) WHANGAREI, January 19. A Maori girl, Dulcie Martin, aged four, was drowned at Whangarei yesterday afternoon. She fell from an anchored punt into shallow water and is believed to have been carried out by an undertow.