CAUGHT IN EBB TIDE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 84, 9 April 1938, Page 15

CAUGHT IN EBB TIDE

CHILD DROWNED

TRAGEDY AT AUCKLAND

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, April 8.

Qne girl was drowned and a second narrowly escaped a similar fate through being 'caught in a strong ebb tide when-swimming -in Hobson Bay near the foot of Victoria Avenue shortly before 5 o'clock. The dead girl was Helen McHardy, aged 10, 'daughter of Mr. A. McHardy, Hoe-o-Tainui. ' ■ ,

Both' girls were members of a party of 12 boarders from the Sacred Heart Convent, Remuera, who were swimming under the supervision of a former pupil and two senior pupils of the convent. Caught-by the tide, the two girls were carried swiftly under the railway embankment bridge and over towards the bridge at the Orakei end of the waterfront road embankment. The second girl, aged about 11 years, was able to reach a launch moored off private boatsheds, from which she was later rescued Jittle the worse for her experience. The girl McHardy, however, was washed out to the open harbour.

Information received by the police led them to believe that two boys were adrift in the harbour in a dinghy. The naval base was immediately communicated with and a launch was sent out from H.M.S.. Philomel. A search was made ?.s 'far as Bastion Point and the ;launch was returning towards the city when the body of the dead girl was found floating in the water. Artificial respiration, was tried during the 20-minute journey to the sity but without success.