SWEPT TO SEA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22930, 7 January 1938, Page 8

SWEPT TO SEA

TWO LIVES LOST BOY AND SISTER TRAGEDY AT PICNIC BYSTANDEES' . INACTION [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHKISTCHURCH, Thursday 1 A boy was swept out to sea and drowned at the harbour at Sumner about 3.45 p.m. to-day and his sister, who was playing in the water near where he disappeared, has not been seen since a few minutes before the tragedy. It is feared that she also has been drowned. The names of the children are: — Ronald Joseph Thomas, aged 12J. Irma Thomas, aged 11. They wero members of the family of five girls and a boy of Mr. Harry Leslie Thomas, gardener, of 12 Draper Street, Richmond. Dragging was carried out up to nine o'clock this evening and the beach was patrolled until midnight, but tho bodies have not been found. Further searches will be made early to-morrow morning. Father Asleep Near By

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and their family went to Sumner for the day early yesterday and were picnicking under a tree beyond the lifeboat shed and slip. At the time of the tragedy Mr. Thomas, who is recovering from a severe illness, was asleep by a tree and was not aware of what was occurring a few chains away. The two children, neither of whom could swim, were playing in water waist deep closo by tlio training wall on the seaward side of the harbour, and parallel with the main beach, under the surveillance of their mother. Mother's Caution to Boy

The boy, who was bouncing a rubber ball, which skidded out toward the end of the wall, was further out than his sister. His mother cautioned him not to go too far. He called out in reply, took another step after the ball and disappeared from his mother's sight in the current, which at low water runs very swiftly past the end of the wall along Whitewash Head to the open sea. The mother, paralysed with fright, saw him rise twice and then disappear before she had time to call his father sleeping a few yards away. The girl was at the time some six yards from the end of tho wall.

Delay in Giving Alarm

Although there was a number of people about, nothing appears to have been doho for some moments. The alarm was not given until a small child ran some 600 yards to the main beach and along it to the surf pavilion to find a beach patrol, Mr. A. Simpson. The child could give only the vaguest details and Mr. Simpson ran across to the boat harbour. - V

Apparently some of the people on thQ main beach near the clock tower were aware of the tragedy, but no one seemed to think of calling the beach patrol, who was at the time fully occupied with watching tho defined bathing area a full quarter of a mile across tho water from the boat harbour. No Help from Bystanders When Mr. Simpson arrived at the boat harbour ho could get nothing coherent from tho people near by, nor, he said, did he get any help from some men who were there, so much so that it "seemed like a hoax." It was at this time that the girl was first missed, a good five minutes after the boy had disappeared. Mr. Simpson went to the end of the wall and dived repeatedly into the current, which was running very rapidly on the surface. Searches along tho bottom brought no result* although Mr. Simpson continued his efforts for some time. Use of Beach Balls

The use of beach balls should be prohibited altogether, Mr. Simpson said. They skidded along the water and led their owners on to deep water. In southerly weather they travelled fast straight out from the Bay. He had at one time chased them for people, but had given it up after finding himself on occasions too far out for safety.

Something should also be done to prohibit bathing at the boat harbour. Tlio Sumner beach was quite safe providing bathers kept within the defined area, which gave ample room.

MAORI BOY'S FATE BRAVE EFFORT AT RESCUE STRUGGLE IN FAST CURRENT [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] GISBORNE, Thursday The Uawa liivcr, Tolaga Bay, claimed its second victim since Christmas at mid-day to-day, when a Maori boj', Hati Nukunuku, aged nine, fell from the old Uawa River bridgo and was drowned. Togother with a young brother, the boy went to the bridge to fish and evidently lost his balance and fell • into the water. For a short time ho was able to cling to ono of tho piles, but tlio force of the current running out proved too much of a tax on his strength and ho was compelled to release his grip. Seeing Nukunuku's plight, another Maori, Tommy Korau, aged 14, who was crossing tho bridge, hurriedly took off his boots and dived in. As soon as he neared tho boy in difficulties Korau felt him get a grip on his throat and entwine his legs about him. Tho y two went under twice before Korau was able to get free, and as he was then so exhausted and Nukunuku was further down tho river Korau decided to make his way to tho bank. The struggle that the two boys were having in the middle of tho river was noticed by men working on the new bridge, but as they were on the Hauiti side o£ the structure ancl none was a good swimmer they could be of little assistance.