FATALITY AVERTED

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1930, Page 7

FATALITY AVERTED

CHILD RESCUED FROM DROWNING

Providence, or merely a co-incidence happily it docs not matter which, prompted a “Star” reporter returning from Inchbonnie yesterday afternoon with Mr George Hanrahan, the Greymouth taxi-driver, to suggest that some fine red birch along the roadside at Arnold Siding looked most inviting, and it was decided to gather a little. Hardly had the two alighted from the car when the shouts of three women attracted attention, but for half-a-minute were not interpreted. When, however, one woman was seen to jump into a stream running alongside the road, and another beckoned frantically to the men to come quickly, the realisation that a. serious position had arisen, quickly moved Mr Hanrahan to action, and he ran swiftly to their assistance. As he arrived at the scene, a middle-aged woman kneeling with arms outstretched, gathered to her a drowning boy child of four years, rescued from the stream by his young mother who had kicked off her slippers and jumped in to catch him by the hair as he was going under for the last time. Mr Hanrahan lost little time in laying the child on his back and employing methods for resuscitation which eventually succeeded in restoring the little fellow to consciousness. Quickly transferring him to his car, where the child was stripped of his wet clothing and wrapped up in overcoats and scarves, Mr Hanrahan then drove in all haste to Dr A. Wilkinson at Wallsend, where the doctor’s assurance that the child Was beyond harm brought great relief to his mother and the lady friend who accompanied her. It transpired that the boy, Donald McDonald, was playing with a little girl companion of five years of age when he apparently overbalanced into the water. The little girl, fortunately, hurried to Mrs McDonald, and informed her that DonalJ was “swimming about in the stream.” Mrs McDonald realised what had happened, and hurried, along with two friends in the hope that she would not be too late to save' her child. Due to her presence of mind, she succeeded, but to Mr George Hanrahan also must be given credit for his action in resuscitating the child, and later speeding in his car to obtain medical aid. '

HUMANE SOCIETY’S AWARDS.

WELLINGTON, July 23

Two presentations were made on behalf of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand at to-night’s meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board. Mr L. P. Fox, Caretaker of the Miramar Wharf, twice rescued boys who fell off the wharf. He was presented with two letters of commendation. In one case Mr Fox heard an alarm, and ran. to the spot but. he was unable to find the boy. On seeing .bubbles rising to the surface, however. ho dived in, fully clothed, and he found the boy in ton feet of water. In this instance artificial respiration was successful. In the- other case, Mr Fox was responsible for the rescue of a boy who fell into thirty feet of water, while fishing from side of the wharf., Again Mr Fox dived in fully clothed, and brought the boy to the shore.

A framed certificate was awarded Mr W. McGee, a waterside worker, of Hataitai, who brought a man out of the harbour on August last after diving into the water' fully clothed.