“EXTREMELY SAD CASE”

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 86, 10 January 1928, Page 10

“EXTREMELY SAD CASE”

LYALL BAY SURF TRAGEDY CORONER’S WARNING TO PARENTS “I think the circumstances call for the strict observance of the notice boards on the beach. Parents should see that their children observe the warnings.” said the Coroner, Mr. J. 11. Salmon, S.M., yesterday at the inquest held concerning the death of Stella Josephine Knight, who was drowned at Lyall Bav on Friday last. Sergeant Duke conducted the inquest on behalf of the police. Evidence was given by John McDonald, caretaker of the Lyall Bay beach, to the effect that on Friday, January 6, at 12.30 p.m., he was on duty in his office on the beach, when something attracted his attention outside. He saw a woman pointing to tlie sea and two men running into the surf. He followed them, and by this time several others had come upon the scene. A man was holding a boy up in the water, and the boy stated that his sister was in the surf. Witness and another swam out to deceased, who was promptly brought to shore. Artificial respiration was used, but without result. The part of the beach where the children were bathing was dangerous owing to an undertow’. There was a notice to that effect posted in the sand. Witness said that the undertow at that time was so strong that one could not stand up in five feet of water.

In answer to the Magistrate, witness said the notice board was plain enough, but peonle seldom bothered to read it. Donald Gordon McNab, of Timaru, said that he was sun-bathing on the beach, when a lady ran up and said that a little girl was crying out that her sister had gone under out in the surf. He went out to look for her and located her lying in the surf. He was assisted by Mr. McDonald. A lifebelt was also brought out. ' Regarding the notice hoards, witness said that when he got off the tram at Lyall Bav he saw’ a notice saying not to bathe except between the two red posts, but as he could not see the second post he followed the crowd in the water.

Wilfred Charles Marchant said that when he realised that something was wrong he called together four members of the Surf Club, got the reel, which had been brought out from the caretaker’s shed, and w r ent to the assistance of the bathers. There was a strong undertow, and the surf was had. The girl was then brought to shore and methods of resuscitation employed prior to Dr. Shirer’s arrival. Dr. William F. Shirer stated that on examining the bodv he decided that there were no signs of life. In his opinion death was due to drowning. Edward John Knight, father of deceased, stated that his four 'children went to Lyall Ray for a picnic with their mother. Deceased, who was 14 years of age, could not swim. Evidence was also given by Constable Anderson, of Lyall Bay. He stated that there were warning hoards about 2 feet bv IS inches on the beach. When the undertow was dangerous, red discs were hoisted.

The Coroner, remarked that one could understand children not rending the notice boards, but not adults. “This is an extremely sad case,” he said. “The finding is death by accidental drowning.’