BEACH TRAGEDY

Greymouth Evening Star, 31 December 1937, Page 7

BEACH TRAGEDY

KARORO WOMAN DROWNED

' ; YOUNG GIRLS’ RESCUE EFFORT

The first bathing fatality on the West -Coast, this Summer, occurred about 3.30 o’clock yesterday afternoon at South Beach, approximately threequarter of a mile south of the Borough boundary. The victim was Dulcie Seebeck, single, aged 21 years, a daughter of Mr. Henry Seebeck, ot South Beach. u In company with three school children, Frances Rhodes, 13, her sister, Ngaio Rhodes, 11, and Lorna Gilbert, 14, Miss Seebeck was swimming m the surf near her home. She had gone out to a sandbank, about 20 yards from the shore and on deciding to return, carried Ngaio Rhodes with her, across the “gut” between the sandbank and the shore. Fairly heavy breakers were running across the “gut” and as deceased was partly across, she was knocked off her balance by a wave. Although a capable swimmer, she got into difficulties, and it was soon apparent that she was incapable of rescuing herself. Ngaio Rhodes, however, managed to reach the shore without difficulty and assisted the other two children to pull deceased out of the water, as the incoming tide brought her floating in. i The children had immediately summoned help, and the father of two of them, Mr. James Rhodes, of South Beach, was soon on the scene. He applied artificial respiration for a lengthy period, until the arrival of Di. H. S. Ray, but the efforts at resuscitation proved unavailing. The body was subsequently removed to deceased s h °The late Miss Seebeck, who had kept house for her father, is also suivived by one sister, Miss Molly Seebeck (Greymouth) and five brothers, Lewis (Hawera), Harry (Wellington), Robert, Albert and Kenneth (Greymouth). The funeral will take place to-morrow morning, leaving the residence at 11 o’clock, for the Karoro Cemetery.

INQUEST AND VERDICT. An inquest was held this aft ® rn °°y bv the Coroner (Mr. Raymond Fetner,' S.M.). The proceedings were conducted by Senior-Sergeant E. Q Dr. H. S. Ray said that he was called to South Beach yesterday, about 3.15 p.m., and found Rhodes applying artificial respiration to the body of Dulcie Seebeck. Rhodes said that he had been carrying on for halt-an-honr. From the appearance ot the body, she must have been dead when

she was /taken out of the water, wyness helped to carry out artificial respiration for another 20 minutes, without avail. Death was due to drowning. Witness was well acquainted with the beach. There was a moderate sea, yesterday. He believed that deceased must, have lost control of herself in the “gut” between the beach and the sand bank, and been carried along the “gut” for some distance. She must have inhaled a lot of water, and this could have occurred while she was lying flat on the water, without being actually submerged. • „ , , Henry Seebeck, father of deceased, gave evidence of identification, He said that he last saw her alive at 1 p.m. yesterday, and she was then in her usual health. She had been in the habit of going for a swim every

day when the weather was fine. She was a fairly good swimmer. . Ngaio Rhodes, 11, said .that, about 1.30 p.m., she went for a swim in the sea, at the rear of her home at Karoro. Her. sister Fay, and Lorna Gilbert, accompanied her. They stayed in the sea for a little while, and then went for Dulcie Seebeck. The latter went with them, and they stayed in the water near the edge most of the time. Just a little way from the shore was a sandbank. The water was only about up to witness’s knees on the aandha.nk. but was deep between the

bank and the shore. The water was ! about up to witness’s neck in the deep part, hut when a wave came it would be much deeper. Dulcie went to the sandbank first, then came back and took' witness and the other girls over. The water was not over their heads at that time, and they all went over and back about twice. Dulcie then wanted to take Lorna over, but the sea was getting rough, and she would not go. Dulcie then took witness over to the sandbank, and went back to see if any of the others would go over, but they would not go. By this time, the waves seemed to be getting rough, and Dulcie appeared to be haying trouble getting over to witness. When she was about over witness started to swim to meet her. Witness could only swim a little. When 1 she . reached Dulcie, the latter was all right, and witness clung to her shoulders. Dulcie did not seem to make much headway, and they were floating towards Paroa. Dulcie appeared to be lower tn the water than witness, and at times the waves went right over their heads. As witness was floating in the water she looked at Dulcie, and her eyes seemed funny. Witness then held hex with one hand, and tried to reach the shore. The waves must have washed witness in, as she got her feet on the gravel. 'At this time she still had hold of Dulcie’s arm, but was too weak to hold her any longer, and had to let her go. Witness’s sister Fay pulled witness out of the water, and she lay on the beach. She swallowed u good deal of water. She did not see who pulled Dulcie out of the water.

> HAD TO LET GO. Francis Grace Wilton Rhodes, 13, said that she went to the beach for a swim with her sister Ngaio, and Lorna Gilbert. They paddled about in the surf for about five minutes, and then went over to Dulcie’s place, which was near their home. She accompanied them to the beach, and swam in first, to show them how deep it was. She was used to doing that, as she was the best swimmer, and was considered to be a good swimmei. The three of them then went in, but did not go out as far as she did. There was deep water not far from the edge of the surf, and then a sandbank. Dulcie swam out to the sandbank, and the water there was ankle-deep on her. Witness did not think the deep part was over her head, but . it appeared to get deeper all the time as the waves rolled in. Dulcie carried Ngaio out to the sandbank and back, and then out again; she walked. Lorna and witness had also walked out to the sandbank. Witness swam over to go back to the beach, and came

back a little way. Lorna walked back, and the water was up to her chest. Witness swam back' with her to the beach. Dulcie was carrying Ngaio back, and walking on the bottom. Vy itness could see that they were getting into difficulties, so she sent. Lorna to get witness’s father. She hesitated a little while, and then went. Dulcies head went down under the water, ant Ngaio was in the water with Dulcie, still holding on to her. Witness tried to swim out to them, but it was too ■ far She came back, then went out as far as she could, and pulled Ngaio in. The latter had to let go of Dulcie. Witness tried to get Dulcie in. Her head was lying still, but witness could not reach her. She caught Dulcies feet once, but had to let go, as she was being pulled into deep water. Lorna came running back, and tney pulled Dulcie in. Witness’s father then arrived. vVitness could swim 25 yards, but neither Lorna nor Ngaio could swim. The sea was fairly calm, and there was a slight current towards Hokitika. Dulcie did not cij out before she went under James Francis Rhodes said that, be tween 3 p.m. and 3.30 p.m., Lorna Libert came to his home and told him that Dulcie Seebeck was in difficulty in the sea. He immediately went to the beach, and could see the body, a yard or two from the shore. At. the time he was about 50 yards away. He called to the girls to hold Dulcie, and when he arrived the body was at the edge of the water. He dragged it clear, and proceeded with artificial respiration until the arrival of Di. Ray. The latter also tried artificial respiration for some time, hut it was Ot To° the Senior-Sergeant: Witness was quite satisfied that the girl was drowned, and that the matte purely accidental. WARNING TO BATHERS

The Coroner returned a verdict that Dulcie Seebeck died at South on December 30, the cause of death being drowning while bathing.. This sad occurrence,” he said, will em nhasise the necessity, at this time ot the year, when so many young people are bathing, for the taking of extreme care in these waters. . The conditions in the sea and surf in this locality are very rarely completely safe. Spits of sand appear to form off-shore in places, with the result that guts of water carry considerable current. This tragic occurrence is an example ot what can so easily occur, even where one of the parties is a competent swimmer. People should bathe in company, and should adopt the utmost precautions, as the beaches cannot be regarded as safe. This occurrence may have some good result, in that it may influence people to take the greatest care, and thus prevent a similar happening. The sympathy of the Court goes out to Mr. Seebeck.”

IN OTHER CENTRES CAPSIZED YACHT. AUCKLAND, December 29/ A smart rescue by three constables who were fishing in a 16ft. dinghy in a deep channel beyond Watchman’s Island, in the Waitemata harbour, averted an almost certain tragedy. A large sailing boat, with a crew of six, returning to Auckland in a strong northerly breeze, suddenly heeled over and capsized. The boat quickly began to sink, as it would not float with the combined weights of the men who were'clinging to the sides. The plight of the men was noticed by the fishing party some hundreds of yards away. The constables hurried to the overturned boat and took four of the men aboard the dinghy, leaving the other two clinging to the boat. A cruising yacht was notified by signals, and hurried to the scene of the accident. It took aboard the remaining two men in the water, and the four rescued men in the constables’ dinghy, and towed the overturned boat to the Ponsonby w.haif. The policemen resumed their fishing.

-.JOCKEY’S DEATH. PALMERSTON N., December 30Found' unconscious in a. horse stall at Awapuni this afternoon, Clifford Plier, an apprentice jockey, was taken to hospital, where he died. Plier, who was 18 years of age, was thrown from a horse at Napier recently. He -was taken to hospital, but recovered sufficiently to be able to return to his home at Palmerston North a week ago. DEATH FOLLOWS BATHING. DUNEDIN, December 30. A solicitor, Charles Mitchell Barnett, aged 32, met his death while bathing at Warrington to-day. Barnett, who was on holiday with his wife and two children, went out into the surf in a canvas canoe, which overturned. He was seen to be in difficulties, and two bathers went to the rescue.

When he was brought ashore he was unconscious, and Dr. Greenslade, who was on the scene, immediately attempted artificial respiration; but though efforts were continued for an hour and' a-half, Barnett failed to revive. Dr. Greenslade is unable to say whether death was due to drowning or a heart attack. DEATH ON FARM. ASHBURTON, December 31. James Tweedie, 74, was found dead on the farm of his employer, RBlackler, of Dromore, last evening, shortly after driving a gig into the yard. Tweedie was found on .the groundIt is not yet determined whether he was killed by a fall, or succumbed to heart, failure.