RESCUE FROM HARBOUR

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28057, 27 August 1956, Page 10

RESCUE FROM HARBOUR

DINGHY CAPSIZES IN STORM HOUR’S ORDEAL FOR TWO MEN After clinging to a capsized dinghy for about an hour and a quarter during the height of a southerly storm yesterday afternoon, two men were rescued from Lyttelton Harbour near Governor’s Bay. One of them was in the last stages of exhaustion when taken from the water. The men are Leslie Hooker, of 13 Wychbury street, Spreydon, and John Donald Fraser, of 19 Clarence road, Addington. The men were returning from Quail Island to Governor’s/ Bay in a dinghy driven by an outboard motor. A squall struck the boat, partly filling it, and stopping the motor. A second squall capsized the boat, and the men were thrown into the sea. They had difficulty in clinging to the boat, which kept rolling over in the choppy sea. It was some time before their plight was noticed from the shore. Mr J Jef coate, who lives on the foreshore and has a motor launch moored near the jetty was notified. The launch was aground in the low tide, so Mr Jefcoate’s son. Mr Lionel Jefcoate, put out in a dinghy, and after rowing strenuously in the choppy sea, came alongside the overturned boat. Mr Fraser managed to climb aboard the rescue craft, but Mr Hooker was too exhausted, and had to be made fast with a rope. Mr Jefcoate made for the nearest beach, where residents had assembled with dry clothing and blankets, and the men were taken into the shelter of a bach. The beach is inaccessible by road.

Medical assistance was summoned from Lyttelton. Dr. N. D. Walker with two members of the Lyttelton St. John Ambulance, who took a stretcher and equipment, left Lyttelton in the Harbour Board launch Ruahine. Constable R Strachan accompanied the party. When the party reached Governor’s Bay, it was found that Mr Jefcoate had floated his launch on the rising tide and had taken the men aboartf After receiving attention from Dr Walker, the men were taken in Mr Jefcoate’s launch to the jetty and given further attention at a house before they were able to go to their homes. The rescue performed by Mr Lionel Jefcoate under most arduous conditions, was warmly commended by watchers MAN DEAD, TWO INJURED CAR STRIKES BRIDGE PARAPET (Wcm Zealarto Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 26. A man was killed at 4 p.m. today when the car in which he was a passenger struck the parapet ol a bridge on the New Plymouth-Opunake highway at Oaonui. He was Arthur William Theodore Putt, aged 45, a farmer, of Warea road. Warea. The car was owned by Mr Putt, but was driven by Mr Eric Phillips aged 45, of Rahotu. Mr Phillips and Mr Putt’s son Arthur, aged 15, were admitted to the New Plymouth Hospital. The youth is suffering from abdominal injuries, and Mr Phillips has a dislocated right hip and a fracture of the left leg.

MAN DROWNED AT ROXBURGH

BARGE SINKS IN TAILRACE (New Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN, Aug. 26. The first drowning at the Roxburgh power scheme occurred at 10 a.m. to day, when a young man was swept into the turbulent water at the foot of the spillway channel. He was: Frank William Smith, aged 29, a rigger, of 59 Ladysmith crescent Roxburgh Hydro. Mr Smith was in charge of a working party engaged in bringing to shore a barge used for dredging the tailrace below the dam. The barge was moored directly below the draught tubes under the dam face. Mr Smith was operating a winch at the bow of the barge, which was secured tQ either bank by wire ropes. When about halfway between midstream and the bank, the barge suddenly dipped its bow beneath the water. It rose again, but sank immediately, and Mr Smith was swept into the water. He was wearing a life-iacket. He began to swim to the shore, but was caught in the current and swept into a whirlpool directly in front of the spillway channels. After 15 minutes, his body was thrown to the surface Two men leant into the river and brought the body to the bank, where an ambulance was waitin" and artificial resuscitation was attempted.

FATALLY INJURED IN FALL DOWN STAIRS A man who fell down a flight of stairs at Sumner on Saturday evening was found to be dead by the time he reached the Christchurch Public Hospital. He was: » Silas James Devlin McAlister, married, aged 55 years, of 17 Havelock street. Linwood. Mr McAlister fell down the stairs at 3 Head street. Sumner, about 8.40 p.m. An inquest will be opened today. ONE KILLED, SEVEN HURT IN HEAD-ON COLLISION (New Zealand Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH. August 26. An elderly woman was killed and seven other persons were injured in a head-on collision between two cars on the main highway, two miles south of Urenui at 5 p.m. yesterday. The dead woman was: Mrs Sadie Summers, of Pio Pio, married, aged 70. Mrs Summers was a passenger in a small car driven by her husband Thomas Acton Summers, which collided with a car driven by Mrs J. Osborn, of Stratford. POWER-CYCLIST INJURED A power-cyclist was injured when he struck a road works machine in Lincoln road, near Lyttelton street, early yesterday morning. He is Allan Hendry, of 142 Halswell road. Mr Hendry was taken by a St. John ambulance to the Christchurch Public Hospital, where he was admitted at 2.10 a.m His condition was reported last evening as satisfactory. CAR RUNS OFF ROAD When the car he was driving ran off the Main South road, near Motorways corner, yesterday. Eric Sibley, of Pannell avenue. Avonside, was injured. Mr Sibley was admitted to the Christchurch Public Hospital at 4.35 p.m. His condition was reported last evening as satisfactory.