BATHERS DROWNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19916, 9 April 1928, Page 10

BATHERS DROWNED

LIFE-SAVING GEAR LACKINGGALLANT ATTEMPTS AT RESCUE. LIFE SACRIFICED IN EFFORT. The lack of life-saving apparatus and of a prominent notice board to warn bathers of dagger at Titahi Bay, Wellington, was the subject of comment by the coroner, Mr. E. Page, S.M., at an inquest held last week into the deaths of Miss Ellen Downey and Joseph Pope, who were drowned at Titahi Bay on the afternoon of Sunday, March 25. Constable Healey stated that on arrival at Titahi Bay he found that there was no live-saving reel there. In his opinion, it would be of great use. Witness did not see a notice board warning bathers not to bathe.at the south end of the bay, but was told that there was a board which was not very conspicuous. Thomas G. M. Russell said he was bathing at Titahi Bay, and at about 2.15 p.m. heard of the parties in difficulties. He was not in the water at the time. Hearing screams, he and several others went to the rescue. The girl was struggling and clutching at the others around her. Witness and another bather were left together, but just as he reached Miss Downey she sank. Witness caught her and ho and his friend held her for about ten minutes, when his friend became ex-, hausted. Later witness saw Pope swimming toward them. He and Pope then endeavoured to hold her, but she slipped from their grasp and ■ sank. She- was swept away, and witness did not see her again. Ho was about a - hundred-yards from the shore. . •Witness and Popo were exhausted and had to swim toward tho shore. Witness' brother swam out with a rope, but Popo collapsed as tho rescuer arrived. Witness and Pope were then brought to shore, and later witness' brother. Witnoss had never seen a notice board at Titahi tide, he added, was just going out, and thero was a big sea running. There were medical men present on tho shore, and every effort was made to rescue Pope. Wallace James Thompson, a clerk, said that when Pope's body was brought to the beach artificial respiration was tried for about two hours. Witness had not seen a danger notice on the beach, although he understood thero was one at tha entrance, Tho undertow was bad at tho time. Evidence was given by Michael Gordon Templeton, a contractor, stepfather of Miss Downey, that on the afternoon of the tragedy he heard screams in the water and gave assistance, not knowing until later that his stop-daughter had been drowned. The coroner said that the evidence showed that on the day of tho tragedy there was a big sea running, the tide at the time was the ebb, and there was a strong undertow. It appeared that Pope had sacrificed his life in an unsuccessful attempt to save Miss Downey. Other people made a gallant attempt at rescuing the unfortunate people, but had failed to save them. "It is not the first fatality to take place there," added Mr. Page, "and possiblv the provision of a life-saVing reel would be beneficial. I think that had there been one in this case one of the deceased might have been saved. I also think that the ; notice board might be made more prominent." A finding of accidental death through drowning was returned.