CANOE SINKS OFF MISSION BAY

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26634, 21 January 1952, Page 6

CANOE SINKS OFF MISSION BAY

TWO BOYS LEAD IN RESCUE FOUR PERSONS SAVED (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 20. Two boys were the leaders of a dramatic rescue when a canoe capsized in deep water off Mission Bay at 6 p.m. to-day. They were Laurence Fenton, aged 13, and his cousin, David Fenton, aged 15. Fpur lives were saved, mainly through the efforts of the boys, Who paddled a canoe to the scene after another canoe, containing a woman and three children, had been swamped 250 yards offshore. Diving overboard, Laurence Fenton swam to the aid of two of ethe of the children who were drifting helplessly out into the channel. His cousin David was thrown into the water when trying to assist the third child who, With the woman, was clinging to the upturned canoe. The boys supported the three children until other aid arrived. Those rescued were: Mrs Doris E. Watson, of 9 Whittaker place, Auckland; her two children, Peter, aged 8, and Hugh, aged 6; and Reg Boernel, aged 8, of 18 Whittaker place. It was only after a further chapter Of accidents that they were brought safely ashore. A third canoe capsized before the Fenton boys, assisted by Mr Sydney Alan, of Epsom, transferred the three children to a boat paddled by Max Bryers, an 11-year-old Epsom boy. Mr Alan had dived overboard, wearing shirt, shorts and hat. Laurence Fenton, single handed, succeeded in getting Mrs Watson into a canoe paddled by a Maori boy. This craft sank before it reached the beach. Mrs Watson fainted aS she was helped ashore. Artificial respiration was applied in one of the beach dressing rooms before an ambulance arrived to take Mrs Watson and the three children to the casualty department of the Auckland Hospital. Peter Watson was subsequently admitted for observation. CHILD DROWNED IN WATER TANK FELL THROUGH SMALL APERTURE (New Zealand Ptest Association) AUCKLAND, January 20. A small child fell into an undert round water tank at Mangere on aturday morning and was drowned. He was Gyllies McManus, aged 16 months, whose parents live at 12 Awhltu road. Mangere. The child was playing in a yard about 9.30 a.m„ and apparently fell through a two-foot-square opening into the concrete tank. The cover of the opening had been left off temporarily. A few minutes later, the child’s mother went to the tank to get water, and saw the body. She pulled the child out and tried artificial respiration. A doctor arrived and continued the attempts to resufiitate the child, but without success. DRIVER DIES FROM INJURIES (New Zealand Press Association) PALMERSTON NORTH, Jan. 20. As a result of injuries suffered in a motor collision in Levin last Thursday, Mr F. Mills, aged 55, a garage attendant, of Palmerston North, died in the Palmerston North Hospital about 7 a.m. on Saturday. Mr Mills was driving a new car from Wellington to Palmerston North when the vehicle collided with a truck. Mr Mills suffered severe chest injuries, v SMALL BOY BADLY INJURED FALL FROM MOVING CAR (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, Jnuary 20. A small boy fractured his skull and injured his spine when he fell from a moving car at Mission Bay. The injured child is John William Price, aged three, a son of Mr E. D. Price, of 9 Harlow place, St. Helliers. The boy was admitted to the Auckland Hospital. MOTOR-CYCLE AND CAB COLLIDE A motor-cyclist suffered head and leg injuries when his machine was involved in a collision with a small car at the corner of Manchester and Kilmore streets last evening. He Was Alfred Flood, of 25 Rodney Street, New Brighton. Mr Flood was admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital. Early this morning he was on the seriously ill list, but his condition was reported to be satisfactory. The driver of the car was Basil Allan Lapthorn, of 27 Glade avenue.