PARENTS WARNED

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 6, 9 January 1928, Page 11

PARENTS WARNED

DANGEROUS UNDERTOW LYALL BAY FATALITY '•THE DANGER ZONE" Advice to parents to observe Iho notice boiinls on the Lyall Bay beach, warning the public against bathing to the cast of Oiicpu road, was given by Ml1. J. ][. Salmon, S.M., at Ihe inquest to-day on Stella Josephine Knight, aged l'l yf-ars and 0 months, who lost her life while bathing in the surf last Friday. Edwin John Knight, father of the deceased, stated that the girl could not | swim. With their mother, the four children had set, out to spend the day on the beach. John M'Donald, caretaker at 1 lie beach, who received the alarm at about 12.30 o'clock, said that when lie entered the surf he found a man supporting a small boy, who Wil them that his sister was also bathing. M'Donald said he looked around and saw the girl among the breakers. He and a Mr. M'Nab brought the girl ashore, and resuscitation was tried for three-quarters of an hour without success. Dr. Sliirer was summoned, but the girl was dead. M'Donald said there was a big surf running, and the children went into the water to the east of the notice boards. That part of the beach was dangerous, owing to nn undertow, and the notice boards indicated that it was dangerous. When lie went into the water the undertow was such that he could not stand up at a depth of five feet. The Coroner: "Do you suggest the notice boards arc not sufficiently striking?" Witness: "They are striking enough, but people come down for a holiday and they don't take notice of them." Donald Gordon M'Nab, a resident of Timaru, who was sunbathing on the beach when the accident occurred, said he saw the boy being supported, and so he went further out to try and locate the girl. Rho-was ultimately seen and brought ashore. Ho said that when his party got off the tram they saw a notico board warning them not to bathe between two red posts, bu'; they could not find tho posts, and so they went in with tho crowd. They did not observe the notice boards on the bciifli. Wilfred Charles Marchant, a resident of Onepu road, stated that the spot whore the fatality occurred was dangerous on account of a. very strong undertow, From the beach, ho saw the two men out beyond the first lino of breakers, and with four members of the life-saving club he got the reel out, and, putting on the belt, went out and helped to bring the girl in. There; was a very strong undertow, and the surf was pretty bad. Constable Anderson stated that there were several notice boards along the beach to tho east of Onepu read warning people against the danger of bathing there. The boards were about 2ft by 18in, and tho warning was printed in large letters. In addition, when the undertow was dangerous in front of the sheds, red discs were hoisted. The fatality took place in the danger zone. In returning a verdict of accidental drowning, Mr. Salmon said he thought the circumstances disclosed the necessity for the strict observance of Hie warnings which wero posted on the beach. Children were not always observant, but parents and others should take a warning from this sad fatality.