Sad Drowning Accident near Southbridge.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 886, 11 February 1891, Page 2

Sad Drowning Accident near Southbridge.

It is with much pain we have to chronicle the sad death by drowning^ i>t George Petrie, a young man well-known at Southbridge, aged nineteen years, whdse parents reside at Kowi, but who had been working for some time with his brotner-in-law, Mr T. Miln. The melancholy acoident occurred on Sunday afternoon, when tne deceased, m the company of two other young men, named William Moore and William Webster, rode down to the Rakaia riverbed for the purpose of having a bathe. After tying up their horses and getting into the water, the deceased strayed from his friends a short distance by going up the stream about a dozen yards for the purpose of endeavouring to swim down. He did- swim down for a short distance, and then endeavoured to stand, \ but finding himself out of his depth, he seems to have lost his presence of mind. He called for help, and his, companions immediately heard his call, but neither being 1 able to swim, all their efforts to save the unfortunate young man proved unavailing,- and they had the' terrible spectacle of seeing him sink before their eyes and drown. The lads went. to Mr Miln's for assistance, and that gentleman, accompanied by his wife and Constable Warring, wont to the spot, but it was some hours before the body was recovered, though several persons had m the meantime arrived to take part m the search. The body was removed to Mr Miln's house, where an inquest was held the following afternoon, and a verdict of accidental death by drowning returned. The jury wished to place on record their appreciation of the heroic efforts of young Moore m endeavoring to save the deceased's. life at the imminent perjl of his own.