DROWNING OF A BOY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18943, 14 February 1925, Page 10

DROWNING OF A BOY

THE WANGANUI INCIDENT. A DENIAL OF CALLOUSNESS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. 5 WANOANUL Friday. A considerable amount of indignation has been aroused as a result of statements being broadcasted to the effect that a little boy had been left to drown on Saturday afternoon, that impression having been conveyed by an elderly man who gave evidence at the inquest huh. 1 subsequently. He stated that the drowning took place while a river swimming race was in progress and that the onlookers were more interested in the spoiling event than in the rescue of the ch'id. As a matter of fact the swimming race was over more than half an hour before the drowning accident took place. Mr. Jack Scott, of Wanganui East, gives an account of the accident. He states that the only people then in the vicinity, with the exception of a small party of ladies, were two men lying in the sun a little further along. Mr. G. McDonald, of Eastown, arid an elderly companion. On the old man rushing along and' acquainting them with the fact that a boy was drowning, Mr. McDonald, shedding his coat as he ran, rushed down,and, directed by Mr. White, plunged into the river fully clothed with the exception of his coat. Mr. Scott then details the efforts made to save the boy and concludes: - " From these facts you will see that there was no crowd of young men at the time, of the accident, nor at any time until it was quite evident that all hope of saving tho lad was gone. No doubt many of the people of this city will be pleased to know that the callous behaviour attributed to our sporting youi.g men was wrongly attributed."