DOUBLE DROWNING.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 December 1926, Page 8

DOUBLE DROWNING.

SAD TRAGEDY AT PALMERSTON. The Mauawatu River at Palmerston claimed two young victims on Saturday afternoon. The two lads, Vhicent William Ronowicz and Lester Alexander Wilson went swimming at a popular spot known as “Peter Gray’s Hole” just above the Fitzherbert Bridge. Noone saw them enter the wader and no one heard any cry of alarm, although a few feet away an adult bather was indulging in a sun bath on the bank. The elder boy, aged fourteen, was a son or Mr Vincent'James Ronowiecz, of W-vst Street, and the younger, aged eleven and a half, was the eldest son of Mr William Wilson, of College Street West insurance inspector. Both were quite good swimmers. After luncheon on Saturday Lester Wilson asked his mother if ho could go out for the afternoon, and permission being- given lie called on his mate and the pair set off, as far as the parents knew, for the Mangaone stream as that was where the boys usually bathed. However, boy like they decided to go to the Manawatu River, making for the spot known as ‘ Peter Gray’s hole,” quarter of a mile upstream from the bridge. At about 2.45 Mr Ralph Petterson wont to the river for a swum and saw two boys there. They had stripped for a bathe but had not then entered the water. As no other adults had arrived Mr. Petterson decided to have a sun bath while waiting, an cl came up to the top of the bank and outside the fence where he lay down in the grass. From that position the river is completely screened by a thick belt of wallows. It was during Mr. Petterson’s brief sojourn on the bank that the tragedy happened, but neither sound, nor sight warned him that just a few feet away two boys were fighting a hopeless battle for life. At 3.15 Mr H. Ineson arrived and he and Petterson immediately went down to the swimming hole. They noticed the boys’ clothes on the bank, but hearing children’s voices both up and down the river did not for a moment suspect ag they entered the water that tw'o lifeless bodies were lying at the bottom of the ' deep pool in which they were swimming. The bathers stayed about the spot for some time, and left late in the afternoon. But becoming uneasy at the thought of two little ownerless bundles of clothes Mr Petterson ana a friend motored down to the river after tea to investigate., The clothes were still there, and a. search in the pockets brought to light a notebook inscribed with young Wilson’s name and address. Learning the Slid News.. Within a few minutes to seven o’clock the searchers arrived at the police station, and while there Mr. Wilson, having become alarmed at his son’s long absence and having failed to find him, arrived to invoke the assistance of the police. The terrible truth wa s then revealed, ana a few minutes later Mr Ronowicz, also in search of his son, identiflea the clothing and learned of the tragic discovery. A visit to the river convinced everyone that dragging operations were impossible at that Lite hour. At 4.30 yesterday morning a party of swimmers under the charge of Sergeant Power and Constable Thorn, and including Messrs Petterson ana Ineson, commenced a long and arduous search for the missing boys. Time and again different members of the party dived into the deep hole but could find no trace there of the bodies ,and the search extended as far down as the bridge. Just before iin e o’clock, however, dragging operations from a flattie owned by Mr. J. Miller brought up one of the bodies —that of young Ronowicz —and two hour s later the second body was located only an arms length away. They were in deep water about fifteen feet from the bank and almost in front of the spot where the clothes were lying. An inspection of the bodies woula indicate that cramp contributed to the fatality. And it would seem that both boys went down together, , the one holding the other in a last pathetic grip until disunited by the rescue operations. Widespread sympathy has been expressed for the parents of the two boys, both of whom were pupils of the Convent school. At St. Patrick’s church yesterday Father McManus offered up special prayers for the stricken families. A Death Trap. “Peter Gray’s Hole” —so called because of its proximity to the whare of an old identity—has been a favourite spot for swimmers, both young and old, for many years past. Just below the scene of the tragedy there was a pool used for some yeara by swimmers of tbe fair sex, and It, was quite possible there to walk across the river in the dry season. Of late, however, the -“hole” has scoured badly ,and this year with a succession of floods, seems to have increased considerably in depth and danger. The bank sheers away sharply into deep water and ten feet from the shore is over fifteen feet deep. While there is almost still water in the pool it is not only deep but strewn with snags, making the pot doubly dangerous. —Palmerston 'Fimes.