NIGHT IN THE OPEN

Evening Star, Issue 25621, 23 October 1945, Page 4

NIGHT IN THE OPEN

SMALL BOY’S ORDEAL JAMMED AMI 16 ROCKS UNDER MOLE After spending last night jammed among rocks below the mole at the Spit side of the Otago Harbour Heads, with waves breaking over him, David McGregor, aged three and a-half, son of Mr and Mrs D. McGregor, of Blacks road, North-east Valley, was found this morning. He was suffering

from exposure and shock, but appeared to recover quickly after being dried and warmed.

The family were camped for the week-end at the Spit. The boy David was playing near the camp, but apparently wandered away, and was missed in the late afternoon. Preliminary searches failing ,to recover him, the police were notified of his disappearance at 6.30 p.m., and search parties were organised. Police constables, the parents, and other people living or camping in the locality were mobilised into parties which scoured the area all night without result. The night was very cold, and it was feared that if the child was still alive he must suffer severely from shock. About 8 o’clock this morning the driver of the crane at the mole, while walking out to light the crane fires, found the child jammed among rocks under the mole. The boy must have walked about half a mile along the mole and then fallen among the rocks. When found he was soaking wet as a result of the waves breaking'over him, and he was blue with cold. When dried and warmed, however, he appeared to recover rapidly, and seemed little the worse for his experience. ■ He was brought up to Dunedin,

where his mother was anxiously waiting word, and he seemed to be in good spirits when he greeted his mother and younger brother.