DROWNING FATALITY

Hokitika Guardian, 7 December 1931, Page 4

DROWNING FATALITY

IN ARNOLD RIVER. A regrettable fatality occurred at the Grey- Power Board’s hydro works dam at Kaimata about 3.30 o’clock on Saturday afternoon, when Mr Lancelot Hamiuoni Craig, a carpenter, employed by Messrs Sip arks Ltd., was accidently drowned. _ With four other men, the deceased was carrying out repair work ' a small 18 foot foot-bridge, leading on to the main ,dam, which had been damaged by the recent flood, when he tripped on a stringer and fell into the huit'ling, flooded waters.-[below, which were about four feet in depth. Having gum boots on, he did not have the same chance to -save himself as would have had without them, whilst it is also thought that, in falling he struck bis head on a boulder, as on two occasions he almost succeeded in clambering out, getting within only a «>w feet of the water’s edge. The water wp.i? only up to his waist, but, apparently, being dazed, he wandered back into- the swift running current. Almost immediately, a fellow workman, Mr Anthony Moore, had stripped off and went in after Craig, making valiant efforts in diving for him for half an hour until he was exhausted, but failing to locate the body, Craig having being carried further down by the current and drowned. ; A search was made- for the body but it was not recovered till 10-30 next morning. The late Mr Craig, who was 30 years of age, had been engaged at Kaimata' for the past two years as a carpenter, He was highly respected by his fellow, workers. He is survived by a wife and a family of three young children, who reside at Blackball, whence the body was removed. The deceased was a native of Invercargill, where his mother resides.

An inquest- will he held in Blackball to-day.