BATHING FATALITY AT PINE ISLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10013, 27 December 1895, Page 5

BATHING FATALITY AT PINE ISLAND.

A BOY DROWNED.

Yesterday afternoon at half-pasb two o'clock, a boy named James Mather Reston, fourth son of Mr. G. S, Reston, gaoler of Mount Eden Gaol, lost his life while bathing at Pine Island under peculiarly distressing circumstances Ha had gone MP in ono of the excursion steamers with Mrs. Reston and one of his younger brothers. After dinner he wont with two of the sons of Mr. Smith, of s.s. Clansman, to bathe, and shortly after he had swum out a little, ho ariod out that he was (retting cramped, and began to get into difficulties. The other lads were unable to do anything towards his rescue, and so they raised an alarm, and some persons came to render assistance as he soon sank. It is stated ho was only a short distance out when he wont down. Mr. Christian, mate of tho steamer Stella, who knew the lad well and was vory fond of him, came over from the steamer to the spot and dived for half an hour, till he was thoroughly exhausted and had to bo lifted into the boat, but unavailingly, as also did some othor men. Drags were got out, and the foreshore was drugged for some distance, but without success. At 7 o'clock _at night, just as the staamors were coming away, having given up all hope of the recovery of tho body, two young men who were cruising about in a boat noticed tho body lying at a shelving lodge, washed in by the tide. Mr. Flannery, chief warder of the gaol, who was also at the excursion, got the captain of the Stella to detain the steamer for a little, and the body of tho unfortunate hd was brought along the beach to the steamer, and put on hoard. On arrival at Auckland the Ambulance was sent for, and tho body removed to Mr. Boston's residence, to await the usual inquest, which has not yet been arranged. Young Roston, a lad of much promise, was just opproaohing his sixteenth year, and was going up to the Civil Service examinations next month. By a singular coincidence, his companion, young Flannory, the son of the chief warder of tho gaol, was three years yesterday brought home a corpse to Auckland, having been killed by being run over by a dray near Helensvillo.

Last) evening Archdeacon Dudley went to tho residence of the bereaved parents, and administered such consolation us was in his power. Mr. fteston, on receiving tho sad tidings of the loss of his son, by telephone, endeavoured to gee up the river in one of the steamers, bub on reaching tho Queen-street wharf found that the last one had just left, He desires, through our columns to sincerely thank Mr. Christian and the other men who wore engaged in diving and soarohing for the body of his son, Captain McArthnr, of tho Stella, for detaining tho steamer, and all who in any way rendered sorviooon the sad occasion,