ESCAPE FROM DROWNING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22629, 18 January 1937, Page 10

ESCAPE FROM DROWNING

CONSTABLE AND HELPER CAPSIZE OF LEAKY PUNT [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] WELLINGTON, Saturday The Makara Stream, near tho spot where Mr. T. A. Jones, a Pctone dental surgeon, was drowned last Saturday afternoon, was tho scene of a narrow escape from a double drowning shortly after 11 o'clock yesterday morning. The men involved \vero Constable B. Phillips, who is stationed at Johnsonville, and who is conducting tho search for "the body of tho late ISlr. Jones, and Mr. Cliff Denham, son of a district settler, who is helping tho constable. The two men set off to cross the Makara Stream at a point where it is about 50 yards wide, to get to a spot near tho Boom Bock, the crag from which Mr. Jones was swept. From this spot the constable and his companion intended commencing tho day's searching operations. The boat in which they sot out to cross the stream was a very old and leaky, almost flat-bottomed punt. While one of tho couplo rowed or paddled tho boat, tho other kept baling as fast as possible, but tho water poured in more quickly than it could be baled out. There was a strong tide running at tho time, and when about half-way across, the punt was struck bv a wave and tho occupants wore thrown off their balance. Before they could correct their balance, tho leaky craft capsized. Both men were heavily clad with coats and heavy boots, and had great difficulty in swimming ashore, neither being an exceptionally strong swimmer II owever, by helping each other they managed to reach the other side of tho stream. Both men were almost exhausted when they got out of the water.

After resting, they were able to proceed with the search, but still without success. Only a hat, which it is believed Mr. Jones was wearing, has been found.

It then appeared that Constable Phillips and his companion would be marooned on the wrong side of the river, as it was too rough for a launch, which was hovo-to near by, to got to the men. Careful manoeuvring was called for and eventually a dinghy from the launch brought tbf> two men safely back on to their right sido of the stream.