TWO SISTERS DROWNED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8529, 1 April 1891, Page 5

TWO SISTERS DROWNED.

SAD BATHING FATALITY. [BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Thames, Tuesday. A very lamentable drowning fatality occurred in the Kauaeranga river, Parawai, this afternoon, when two sisters, named Isabel Viva Gillespie and Theresa Leonie Gillespie, aged respectively 15 and 13 years, daughters of Mr. H. C. Gillespie, local manager of the Kauri Timber Company, lost their lives.

In company with three other young ladies, Miss Carpenter and two Miss Perrys, they were amusing themselves by paddling in the river, just "below Mr. R. N. 'Smith's farm. After a time Isabel .Gillespie went to babho, while- the others still continued to wade about with bare feet. Miss Isabel began tp walk backward in the river, and all at once went in over her depth. Her sister Theresa, without waiting to divest herself of hor clothing, at once rushed to ner assistance, but also got out of her depth and became helpless. Miss Carpenter then sprang in to their assistance, bub as she is unable to swim she came near sharing the same fate as the. unfortunate sisters. Her dog, however, plunged in after her, and getting hold of him she managed to roach the bank of the river again. Two young men named Stanley Smith and John Wallace, who were working near, heard the screams of Miss Perry and ran to tho spot, bub the two sisters had then sunk for the last time, and all tho men could do was to dive and recover the bodies. Dr. Callan, who had been on a visit to the Thames Orphanage, came along about this time, and under his direction, all efforts were made to restore life, but without avail. Mr. R. N. Smith was informed of tho occurrence, and drove in and reported the sad news to Mr. and Mrs. Gillespie, who sent their buggy out, and had the bodies brought homo. Tho terrible mishap has cast a gloom over the town, and much sympathy is folb for tho parents in the loss of their two daughters, both of whom were fine, promising girls, and great favourites among their acquaintances. An inquest will probably bo held tomorrow afternoon.