MORE BATHERS DROWNED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 16138, 15 January 1913, Page 10

MORE BATHERS DROWNED.

DOUBLE FATALITY AT NEW BRIGHTON. MAN ATTEMPTS TO SAVE WOMAN. BOTH LOSE THEIR LIVES. The toll of bathers drowned this summer was increased by two yesterday, John Highet losing his life in an attempt to save his sister-in-law, Mrs Mabel Highet, who was also drowned. Highet, who was an electrician arid lived at Bexley, left his home yesterday afternoon in a boat with his sister-in-law and her two children. They rowed to Herring Bay, where the Avon enters the Estuary, and tho boat was beached. Tho two children, who were aged 3J and 2} years respectively, were landed, and tho man and woman prepared to bathe. They had rowed to the spot with their bathing costumes on under their clothes, and Mrs Highet was the first to enter the water. She got into difficulties in the stream, which is about fourteen feet deep at the spot, and her brother-in-law went to her assistance. The drowning woman caught hold of her rescuer and almost at once the two disappeared. ,

The accident was witnessed by some boys and Constable Tlowo was informed at 5.30 p.m., fifteen minutes after the disaster. ' He proceeded to the scene, and after some difficulty he obtained assistance to search for tho bodies. A fishing net was secured, and after an hour's tirawling the two bodies were recovered, close together, in deep water.

John Highet was about thirty-seven years of ago', and was unmarried. He was lame, as a result of an accident, but it is said that he was a good swimmer. ' Mrs Highet was thirty-four years of ago. • ■'■ . • i AN ONLOOKER'S ACCOUNT. A. Ford, a boy of fourteen, who was present at Herring Bay, and was an eye-witness of the accident, gave a full account of it to a " Lyttelton Times" reporter who visited him last night. " I went down tho beach to Herring Bay with two other boys," he said. "We saw a boat on tho estuary, with a man and a lady in it. They both got out and went in for a bathe. I went for a biVtho myself with my two friends. The man was by this time a long way away from tho ladv. One of my friends got into difficulties by going out too far. He was in danger of drowning. The water seemed full of nasty ' pully' currents, and it was awkward to keep one's footing in the shallow water. To help my friend I was forced to go a good way out. This brought me nearer to the lady who was bathing, and it was then that I first got an idea that something was wrong. She was> floating about, I could see, with only the top of her head visible above the water. Once she sank. I could not do anything, but shouted out to her friend, who was a long distance away and did not know that tho lady was in difficulties. He hoard my shout and at once came over into the deep water. He seized the lady. Then I got a mouthful and could not see for a moment. When I looked again tho man was taking the lady in. He got her pretty near to the shore, and then she pulled him under, and ro3e above water herself for a moment. Ho came up again further out and they got into the deeper water again. Then the lady sank again. The man again raised her, sinking for a moment'himself, but he kept his hold arid they floated for a moment together. Both seemed very tired. Then I got another mouthful, and when I looked again they had both disappeared. It did not take very long for the whole thing to happen. My friend and I, with difficulty, got out, and shouted to a boy who was passing on a bicycle, and he gave word to the police."

A DANGEROUS SPOT. People who have lived near Herring Bay and have bathed there state that the spot is dangerous for any but strong swimmers. Mr G. E. Billson, the custodian of the municipal baths, speaking to a reporter, said that Herring Bay should be regarded as a dangerous place. At places it was possible to walk across tho estuary in shallow water, but at the place where the fatality occurred there was a 'sudden dip to fourteen or fifteen feet, where the bed of the river had been scoured out by the current. At ebb tide the set was fairly strong, and would prove very dangerous to any but a strong swimmer. It was often used for bathing, and it was remarkable that more accidents had not occurred there. NEED FOR WARNING.

An old resident of New Brighton, speaking to a reporter last night, said that the accident emphasised the need for some warning to bathers as to tho special danger of Herring Bay, and the presence of tho large depression in the bed of the" stream. It was well known that it was a danger spot, and he thought that it might be possible for some mark to be made pointing out where this depression was, as a warning to bathers to avoid it. Considering the excellent facilities for bathing ill safer places, lie thought that it was foolish for people to bathe at Herring Bay at all, but if they would persist in doing so, something might bo done to safeguard them in the direction indicated, if it were practicable.

EFFECT OF NOR'-WESTER. A young man who had been bathing at New Brighton yesterday afternoon said that, although beautifully warm, it was one of the worst days for bathing, especially down towards islio southern end of the beach, that he had ever experienced.. A violent nor'-wester made a trickv current and ugly waves, and the beach was full of potholes. The nor'wester would have a disturbing effect on the water at Herring Bay, and would tend to make the bay more dangerous than at other times. POSSIBLE RESULTS. A New Brighton resident, speaking of the accident, said that he hoped the effect of an accident at their very doors would serve to bring home to the people of New Brighton the need for an effort to keep bathers within a\ certain defined area on the beach. He did not mean to assert that such a rule, if already in existence, would have saved the victims of the accident, who would probably have been able to evade it by going "to such a distance for their bathe. But an accident such as this, happening in New, Brighton, would have an effect in awakening the people to the danger of the sea which the Sumner accidents could not have. No doubt some slight inconvenience would be caused to occupants of " baches" at North and South Brighton by obliging them to walk some distance for their swim in order to get within the safety zone, but the greatly enhanced safety would outweigh this consideration. THE SEASON'S DEATH ROLL.

FIVE DEATHS IN SEVENTEEN DAYS. George Richard Atkinson, forty-two years, married, drowned at Sumner, December 28. Ernest Charles Bathurst, fifty-nine years, married, drowned at Sumner, December 28. . Charles Weathorall Hatchard, thirtyone years, single, drowned at Sumner, January 5. John Highet, thirty-seven years, single, drowned -at Herry Bay, Now Brighton, January 14,; . Mabel Highet, thirty-four years, married, drowned at Herring Bay, New Brighton. January 14.