TWO PLUCKY LADS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20900, 16 June 1931, Page 11

TWO PLUCKY LADS.

BOY'S CLOSE CALL. CAUGHT IN GAS POCKET. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SUVA, Juno 11. Yet one more case of bravery has to be reported among our local youth. The Government yacht Tioneer was undergoing her usual overhaul, and among other things to be done was the removal of her funnel- To do this a lad named Walker went down tho funnel to fix a rope. Evidently tho funnel had not been first fanned out so as to remove all gas. When Walker's assistant, A. Smith, who was perched on the top of the funnel, saw that Walker did not make a move, he gave the alarm and, without waiting, slid down tho rope, which he fixed round Walker's body, tho latter having collapsed. Quickly Smith got to the top and Walker was raised to the wharf by the crane. He appeared to bo dead, but a Boy Scout named Louis Mahabir applied first aid and artificial respiration, with the result that Walker began to breathe, and ho was then taken to the hospital, where he recovered. Both lads showed great resource, and their conduct has been brought under tho notice of the Governor. Smith's action was most meritorious, as he took his life ill his hand when ho dropped down to the gas-laden section of tho funnel.