WANGANUI NOTES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 163, 10 April 1928, Page 6

WANGANUI NOTES

EIGHT-OAR BOAT RACE. Wanganui, April 9. The time-honoured eight-oar boat race between the old boys of the Wanganui Collegiate School and the present boys was held this morning, and resulted" in a win for the students by one and a quarter lengths. The race was rowed from the Dublin Street bridge to the wooden groyne. The old boys’ crew was one of the best brought together for a number of years, and included old caps of the school of recent years. Both crews got away to an even start, and in the first halfdozen strokes the old boys went to the front, but it was heavy going against a flood tide, which was sweeping upstream. The present boys, swinging together well, drove their boat along and had the old boys thinking hard. Urged on by cries of “School, school!” Taylor, stroke of the present boys, called on his crew for a dozen. Responding to a man, they made up the leeway and passed the winning post by one and a quarter lengths to the good, amidst a din of tooting motor horns. The race drew a record crowd of spectators. The crews were:— Present Boys.—W. Tavlor (stroke), J. Donald, C. L. Pleasants, H. G. Kemp, T. Reed, D. E. Williams, B. Blundell, T. J. Teschemaker (bow), A. C. Stavelev (cox).

Old Boys.—D. C. Caiman (stroke), A. C. Steele, G. G. Shirtcliff, F. W. Jull, T. S. Ellingham, H. D. Blyth, W. P. Nelson, G. W. Winlove (bow), E. C. Lilburn (cox).

Fate plaved a cruel trick when Terei Bailey, aged one year and ten months, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Ihaka Bailey, residing at Putiki, was drowned at the suburb on Saturday in the Ngahura Creek. The unfortunate child was one of twins. In a statement to the Wanganui police, Wikitoria Bailey, aged 14, said that on Saturday Terei and George Bailey were playing in front of the house. “I was siting on the veranda reading,” the statement continued, “and about noon went to the back of the house and asked George where Terei was He pointed to the creek, and I noticed a head just above water.” The deceased child was immediately brought ashore, but did not seem to be breathing when taken from the water. Several doctors were telephoned for and later deceased was attended by Dr M. Christie Artificial respiration methods had no effect, however, and life was pronounced extinct. Everything possible, even the Native method of “smoking,” was done to bring the child round An inquest was held yesterday afternoon before the Acting-Coroner., Mr. J. J. Pilkineton, Sergeant G. Sivyer representing the police. A verdict of accidental death by drowning in the Ngahura Creek was returned.

Dull, threatening weather prevailed on Saturdav, but this did not deter large crowds flocking out of doors.