MAN DROWNED WHILE EXERCISING HORSE IN SURF

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 February 1948, Page 2

MAN DROWNED WHILE EXERCISING HORSE IN SURF

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, February 23. Washed out of his saddle when he was exercising a horse in the sea off the coast near the Limestone Downs sheep station at Port Waikato, a man was unable to regain the shore because of the strong undertow, and was drowned. He was:

Roderick Neil Bayer, aged 34, a driver, employed at Limestone Downs, who leaves a wife and three children. After riding to the coast on a fishing expedition, Bayer and another of the station employees, Mr S. J. Mur-

phy, took their horses out for a swim at low tide. Mr Murphy did not go out as far as Bayer, and was. returning to the shore after feeling his horse lifted off its feet by a big wave, when he heard Bayer call for help. He saw Bayer struggling in the water and attempted to go to his rescue, but his horse became exhausted and would not swim out any further. Mr Murphy got out of the saddle, and, gripping the horse by its tail, was towed back to the shore. After a long struggle, both the horse and Mr Murphy reached safety in an advanced state of exhaustion. A fisherman saw Bayer s body floating towards the beach, but it disappeared before it could be recovered. The horse was able to swim ashore.