TWO DROWNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22724, 10 May 1937, Page 8

TWO DROWNED

CAPSIZE OF CANOE TRAGEDY NEAR KAWHIA COMPANIONS REACH SHOIiE RETUItN FROM FOOTBALL [BY THLEG 11APH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] KAWHIA, Sunday Tragedy overtook a party of four Maoris when an old native canoe in which they were returning from a football match at Kinohaku, near Kawhia, capsized in a, tidal river in the upper reaches of the Kawhia Harbour about 7.30 p.m. on Saturday. Two of the natives were drowned, and the two others were exhausted when they reached the shore. The victims were: — John Cunningham, aged about 21, single, of Owhiro, and formerly of Taranaki. George Kara, aged 21, single, of Owhiro. The party, which consisted of Cunningham, Kara and two other Maoris, John Tikina, aged 29, and Tom It fill ana, aged 22, left Tinohaku after the two former had participated in a football match. They set out for their homes at Owhiro, on the tidal river, about ton miles from Kawhia Heads. When the canoe capsized the river was in high tide, which would make the width about two chains. Completely Exhausted It is understood that when the craft overturned Mr. Cunningham, who could not swim, clung to Kara, who was a very line swimmer. The other two Maoris struck out for the bank on the muddy side of the river, but Mr. Hcihana tired and sank. Tikina, who was also tiring, dived, and after frantic efforts brought his companion to the surface. He then secured a floating paddle, and with it towed Mr. Reihana to the muddy shallows and on toward the bank, until both men collapsed. The cries of the men attracted the attention of a carload of Maoris who were passing, and the two men were taken on to dry land in a completely exhausted condition. Constable W. Carran, of Kawhia, was called by telephone, and the natives immediately tried to arrange for a boat to search for Kara and Cunningham, but there was no boat available. Pathetic Vigil Soon a largo number of Maoris, including near relatives and friends of the two missing men, assembled near the river. Men, women and children and even infants were grouped around various fires which were lit, and a pathetic vigil was commenced in the cold, sleety rain. They tat up through the niglit to await early morning and low tide, when the search for the two lost men could be resumed.

Cunningham was a representative I Rugby footballer and was well known | in tiie Kawhia district, where ho was ' very popular. The tragedy was a sad | sequel to the opening of the season for i tho Kawhia Rugby Football Union. | A search party found the bodies of j Cunningham and Kara in the early | hours of the morning within a chain j and a-lialf of the spot where the canoe capsized. They were then about half a chain apart. FATALITY AT OPOTIKI TEN-YEAR-OLD BOY'S FATE FATHER ATTEMPTS RESCUE [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] OPOTIKI, Sunday Capsized into the icy cold waters of the Otara River near the town bridge at Opotiki while playing in a homemade ilat-bottomed boat yesterday afternoon, Donald Crompton, aged about 10, the son of Mr. R. Crompton, a share-milker for Mr. C. Gordon, of Opotiki, was drowned. A young companion, Jack Dain, was rescued after holding on to the upturned boat for a quarter of an hour, while desperate efforts were made to save him. The boys were playing together and boarded tho boat, which had been rigged with an imitation wireless mast and aerial. They pushed off from the shore and tho boat, with its timbers badly water-logged, capsized. The boys were thrown into the water, but managed to hold on to tho partly-sub-merged craft. Their cries for help were at first ignored by members at the Citizens' Bowling Club near by, who thought the calls of distress wero only thr* shouts of children playing. So persistent wero the cries, however, that they finally attracted attention. Meanwhile, Mr. Crompton also was notified of his son's plight by another lad. The boy Crompton lost his hold on th# capsized boat and his father, who is unable to swim, made a desperate attempt to save him by entering the water and clinging to overhanging willow branches. Ho was unable to. reach tho Jad who sank froni sight. Other men who arrived at the scene of the accident were unable to swim and it was some time before a message was sent to Mr. Gordon's home, and .Mr. Athol Gordon hurried to the river. He immediately went to the assistance of Jack Dain whose strength was fast failing in the cold water. Constable Julien also was summoned and he, too, swam to the lad's assistance. The rescuers were too exhausted by tho coldness of tho water to take hold of Dain and with the boy still clinging to the boat they pushed it ashore The rescued boy was immediately taken to hospital where his condition to-night was reported to be not serious.

BOY SWEPT OFF ROOK LYTTELTON HAHBOU.It VICTIM [I»Y TRTjKGKAFH—I'ItfiSS association] C'll KIS'J'C HUKCH, Sunday A 14-year-old boy, .Ronald Alexander, whoso parents reside in Montreal Street, Christclnirch. was swept off a rock in Lyttelton Harbour this afternoon and drowned. With a companion he was gathering metal at the base of the municipal rubbish tip, when a wave caught them. The deceased's companion escaped. The boy's body has not yet been recovered.