BATHERS IN TROUBLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17979, 3 January 1922, Page 4

BATHERS IN TROUBLE.

PARTY NEARLY DROWNED, excitement at wanganui. [BY TELEGBJLPH. —OWN COHEESPONDENT.] WANGANUI, Monday. An exciting incident occurred this afternoon at the Castleeliff Beach, where several hundred people wer& disporting themselvee in the surf. For considerably over a mile the beach is quite flat and perfectly saie for bathing. A party of seven young people, comprising threo young men and four young women, who were a littlo more adventurous than the others, however, worked northward with the set of the tide, and ultimately found practically the only "pothole" in the beach. In a very few minutes the whole party were in difficulties. None of the girls could swim, but fortunately tho men could do so. A shore alarm was given very quickly, with the result that all were saved, though some were in a very exhausted condition. A lad named A. Carkeck was almost drowned. He tried to save a young woman, but she practically caught him round the neck and dragged him under until he lost consciousness. Eventually both were rescued, and the members of the Surf and Life Saving Clubs were kept busy bringing round the more than halfdrowned party. It was some time before Carkeck was restored, and eventually he was taken to tho hospital, pneumonia developing. A lad named A. McKenzie distinguished himself by saving two of the young women, and became bo exhausted that he himself had to bo rescued. Mr. Archie Sharpe, Darcy Hadfield's pacer, aim assisted in getting some of the party out of the danger isone. The Surf Club had an emergency reel right opposite the spot where the accident occurred, but found that some thief had taken the life line.