TRAGIC END TO HOLIDAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22005, 11 January 1935, Page 11

TRAGIC END TO HOLIDAY

DROWNING OF CHILDREN EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] GISBORNE, Thursday The inquest concerning the deaths of John Brunton White and Robert Brunton White, who lost their lives by drowning at Lake Waikaremoana on Sunday, was completed before the 'district coroner, Mr. Y. E. Winter. The father of the two children, William Brunton White, stated his wife and the children were spending a holiday at Lake Waikaremoana and on Saturday he joined ,them. On Sunday, in company with several others, they went to Maori Wliare Bay to spend the day. After lunph he went trolling in a boat, leaving Mrs. White and another with the two boys by the lake sid<v Mrs. White and her companion went fly-fishing from the rocks, the boys playing on the sand. Witness was absent for about two hours and when he returned he missed the boys. Mrs. White showed witness where she had left them. Witness searched and on looking into the lake waters saw the bodies of the boys in about eight to 10 feet of water, about 12 feet from the edge. Witness dived in and secured the bodies. Mr. Cockorill arrived soon after and resuscitation methods were adopted and continued for over a quarter of an hour, after which they placed the bodies in a boat and took them to the landing, where Dr. Crawford took charge. The rocks where the boys were standing were very slippery. The coroner returned a verdict of accidentally drowned.