BRAVE MAORI GIRL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20758, 29 December 1930, Page 10

BRAVE MAORI GIRL.

RESCUE FROM DROWNING. COMPANION IN DIFFICULTIES. An account of a recent very plucky incident has been related by Mrs. Kathryn Cholerton, head teacher at the Pamoana Native School, Koriniti, Wanganui River. She states:—"A drowning fatality was averted through the behaviour of Lovey Tiako, a little Maori girl. Children were' bathing after school and Lovey . was teaching Paul Hamarana, a playmate of nine years, to swim in shallow water. She held the boy up by placing her hands under his body. Paul grew over-confident and, after calling out, "I'm all right,' sprang away from his little teacher into the current of deep water that flows near the beach. In a flash Lovey was j'fter him, and, realising his danger, Paul*held' on to her so that she could do nothing for herself or for him. Then she took her charge to the bottom of the river, dived with liirn, she says, and when slip felt her feet she was able to fling him off.

"Paul rose and Lovey returned to the beach, which the terrified children had deserted, grabbed a long canoe'pole, ran along the beach with it and swam out to the boy and poked him until Paul caught hold of the pole. Lovey swam ashore, but just as she got him nearly in, he relaxed his hold and was carried away. For the third time Lovey swam after him and, catching held of his leg, pulled and tugged him ashore, effecting the rescue only just in time to escape a treacherous whirlpool. "Lovey could not speak when she got ashore. The boy was thought to be quite dead. Lovey dragged him clear of the water and ran to the pa for assistance. Mrs. Church was the first to arrive, but the boy was too heavy for her to lift. Mr. Ngatoa then was fetched and resuscitation begun. By nine o'clock the boy was pronounced out of danger." .../f