YOUTH DROWNED

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1940, Page 2

YOUTH DROWNED

. IN SOUTH BEACH POOL The third drowning fatality on the West Coast within a fortnight occurred yesterday afternoon, in the Paroa lagoon, at the swimming place known as Flaherty’s Pool. The victim was Cyril Kenneth Partridge, 19, single, who resided with his widowed mother at 66 Marlborough. Street, Greymouth. Deceased, in company with several other youths, entered the water about 2.30 p.m. and the fatality occurred shortly afterwards. He was not a good swimmer and in attempting ; to cross the pool, a distance of about 30 yards, he got into difficulties half way across. Other swimmers nearby saw him commence to floUndeh and throw up his hands, but b.y the time, that they had reached Him, He Had disappeared, in the -brownish water. Immediate attempts to recover the body were n‘ot successful owing to the colour of the water, but after diving continuously for about 15 tninuteS, Mr. Jack Boswell brought the body to the surface. By this time, Dr, N. F. Greenslade had arrived and.He continued artificial respiration for some time, without success. The pool has sloping edges, to a maximum depth of 10 to 12 feet, and deceased had reached the deepest part when he sank. Deceased was a native of Dunedin, and was employed as a" trucker at the Strongman Colliery. Besides his mother, he leaves one sister, Lilian, and four brothers, Frederick (Nelson), Arthur, Ronald and Stanley (Greymouth). The funeral will take place at Karoro Cemetery, to-morrow afternoon.

APPEAL TO BATHERS. Referring to the fact that, already this swimming season, there had been three drowning fatalities on the West Coast, Mr. W. E. Packer, Inspector of Police at Greymouth, said it was an indication that some bathers took too many risks when swimming, and he urged all swimmers, particularly those oh the beaches, to exercise the greatest care. It was saddening, he said, for the police to receive a message that there had been a drowning, and have to go out and recover the body of some young person, when it was realised that greater caution would probably have prevented the fatality. RESCUED WOMAN DIES CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 1. The woman who was reported to have been rescued from the surf at Waimairi Beach on Friday afternoon, Mrs. A. Myers, of 165 North Avon road, died this morning in the Public Hospital. She was found lying in shallow surf by two women, and artificial respiration was applied by schoolboys.