DUAL DROWNING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20142, 11 January 1940, Page 4

DUAL DROWNING

SISTERS LOSE LIVES AGED FOUR AND SEVEN CAPSIZE. OF BOAT COMPANIONS RESCUED (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, this day. Two little gilds lost their lives m a drowning accident at Pounawea at about 11.30 o'clock yesterday morning. They were Joan Mary McQuillan, aged four years, and Margaret Rose McQuillan, aged seven years, both of Brown street, Gore. The tragedy occurred when a boat in which Mrs. McQuillan and the two children, with others, were being rowed across the river capsized in a squall. Mrs. McQuillan and three other occupants of the boat reached the shore with some difficulty and Mrs. McQuillan has been admitted to hospital suffering from shock. Messrs. TI. Gow and J. Simmers and a young son of the latter, of Waikoikoi, were rowing out in a small boat to lift a set net when they were called from the shore opposite the jetty to take Mrs. McQuillan and her two children across the river. The party were just about 100 yards out from the bank when a sudden squall swept down and a large wave swamped the boat. Mr. Simmers, with his son hanging on to his coat, managed to swim asnore and Mr. Gow kept hold of the boat and held up the two little girls for a while, but the boat overturned and he lost them. He again grasped the boat and managed to support Mrs. McQuillan for a time. The boat again rolled and he lost hold of Mrs. McQuillan, but by this time help was approaching from the other shore and he and Mrs. McQuillan were rescued In the meantime the two little children had disappeared. Dragging operations were carried out and the body of the younger child was recovered in the evening.