SEASIDE FATALITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22026, 5 February 1935, Page 11

SEASIDE FATALITY

THE CHELTENHAM CASE DINGHY SWAMPED IN SQUALL EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST The swamping of an Bft. dinghy con-i taining a man and two boys about 200 yards off North Head, Devonport, last Thursday afternoon, was described yesterday before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., coroner, at' the inquest concerning the death of Mr. Roy Valentine Rennie, aged 38, married, an accountant, of Taumarunui, who lost hip life as a result of the accident. A schoolboy, Charles John Cook, aged 14, of Claudelands, Hamilton, said he had met Mr. Rennie and his son Bruce, aged six, whde staying at the same private hotel at Cheltenham, where they were all spending holidays. On Thursday witness accompanied Mr. Rennie and his ison on a rowing trip from Cheltenham Beach. The water was calm when they set out, but when about 200 yards; off North Head a squall waa encountered, and the boat shipped some waves over the bow. The boat was headed for the shore and Mr. Rennie told witness to bail, but almost immediately mors water was shipped, and the boat was swamped. All three struck out for the shore, continued witness, Mr. Rennie assisting his son. When witness reached the beach, he saw tJ:ie man and the other boy together in the water. Mr. Rennie appeared to be splashing the water. Witness immediately took off his shirt and swam back toward the others. When he reached the scene, however, only the boy Bruce was afloat, and was "dog-paddiing." Witness helped Bruce to the shore, reaching the beach in a fairly exhausted condition. He then walked along ths beach seeking assistance, and after passing a man who could not swim, came upon two other men, who swam out to the scene of the fatality. The recovery of Mr. Rennie's body was recounted by the two men, Frank Argrove Mathieson, student, and James Julian Lynch, salesman, both of Devonport. They stated they were sitting on Cheltenham Beach when a woman informed them of the accident. They hurried to North Head beach and swam out and found Mr. Rennie's body floating face downward. They remained with the upturned dinghy, Imowing another dinghy was coming from Cheltenham to take the body ashore. Dr. J. N. Waddell stated that h© was summoned to where the body lay on the beach. The man was dead and witness considered death was due to drowning. , The coroner ireturned a verdict of accidental drowning.