BATHING FATALITY

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 3 January 1928, Page 4

BATHING FATALITY

YOUTH DROWNED IN FARM DAM. ON DUTHIE ROAD. Early on Sunday afternoon a drowning fatality occurred on a farm on Lower Duthie Road in tlie occupation of ilr. E. R. Nicholas. George Henry Guest, a young farm hand, aged 17 years, employed on Mr. Oliver Robertson's nearby farm, joined a bathing party of five or six youths at Mr. Nicholas’s dam. Having no bathing apparel, Guest waited until the others had finished their swim, when he borrowed a suit and entered the water alone. Evidently not an expert swimmer, he soon got into difficulties, and one of tlie party went to his assistance. Guest clutched his would-be rescuer, who was obliged to let go his hold, and Guest sank in 10 feet" of water. Meanwhile assistance was procured from Robertson’s farm, and a raft was hastily constructed. From this diving operations were conducted, but an hour elapsed before, the body was recovered. Efforts at resuscitation, under tlie direction of Dr. D. H. Saunders, who had been summoned from Eltham, were futile. Decased’s father resides in Wellington, and an elder brother is engaged in share milking for Mr. J. J- Patterson near Te Roti. At the Eltham Courthouse yesterday, before the district coroner, Mr. W. L. Kennedy, of Stratford, a fomral inquest was opened and adjourned 1 until Saturday, 7th inst,. at 10.30 a.m Evidence of identification was given hy the brother, to whose residence tlm body was removed last night.