BOY DROWNED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22974, 28 February 1938, Page 10

BOY DROWNED

SMALL BOAT CAPSIZES FREEMAN'S BAY ACCIDENT TWO COMPANIONS RESCUED BYSTANDERS' PROMPT ACTION A boy aged nine years was drowned and his two companions were saved only by the prompt action of bystanders when a frail sailing boat capsized in Freeman's Bay about 3130 p.m. yesterday. The victim was:— Albert Henry Metcalfe, a son .of Mr. James Frederick Metcalfe, of No. 8 Ireland Street, Freeman's Bay. With his elder brother William, aged about 12, and a young companion, George Lee, aged 10, Albert was sailing in a six-foot, flat-bottome.d boat. The boat was without a sail and the centre-board was missing. All went well until the boys were about 30 or 40 yards out from the wharf at the rear of the shipbuilding yards ol Parry Brothers, in Beaumont Street. Rescuer Collapses The boat tipped up and the three boys were thrown into the water. They were seen struggling by Mr. Wyndham Jenkinson, who lives on one of the boats moored to the wharf. He dived in and. after a hard fight, brought William Metcalfe ashore. The boy was unconscious, and Mr. Jenkinson was forced to hold 011 to him with one hand while he kept himself afloat by grasping the side of a barge. It was some time before his calls for help were heard and he collapsed after be and the boy had been assisted from the water. Body Disappears In the meantime. Mr. William Turnott, of 27 Crummer Road, Grey Lynn, had dived in to the assistance of the other two boys. A strong swimmer, he attempted to bring both Albert Metcalfe and George Lee into safety. 'I he boys were struggling in their attempts to keep afloat, and Mr. Turnott lifted Albert Metcalfe 011 to the stern of the boat while he took the other boy ashore. The boat rolled over and when Mr. Turnott returned the body had disappeared. Bystanders administered artificial respiration to the rescued boys, and the Freeman's Bay police were called. Attempts were made to recover Albert Metcalfe's body and the police were greatly assisted by several youths, all strofig swimmers, who dived repeatedly and searched the sea bed where the boy had disappeared. Dragging was continued until the body was recovered about six o'clock. An inquest will be opened before Mr. F. K. Hunt, coroner, this morning. YOUTH'S FATAL DIVE TIDAL CREEK TRAGEDY VAIN SEARCH BY EMPLOYER BODY FOUND LYING ON MUD [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] WHANG AREI, Sunday / A young man employed on bridge construction work at Mata near Oakleigh was drowned in a tidal creek after diving from Price's Bridge on the main Whangarei-Auckland road this afternoon. The victim was: John Moon, aged 18. His parents reside at 21 Burnley Terrace, Mount Eden. Accompanied by his employer, Mr. Alan Crawford, and a fellow-workman, Mr. Moon decided to go for a swim in the creek, which is a short distance from Oakleigh. He dived in from the bridge and entered the water rather awkwardly. After swimming a few yards, he turned back, and when he was about a yard away from the road embankment he was seen to turn over and apparently push himself off again He sank in about loft, of water, however, and his struggles were noticed by Mr. Crawford, who was on the bridge. Mr. Moon was sinking head downwards when Mr. Crawford dived from the bridge, but he was unable to locate the younger man. The police were summoned and in the meantime frequent attempts were made to recover the body. When Senior-Sergeant E. Finch and Constable A. T. Kelk, of Whangarei, and Constable A. R. Rimmer, of Waipu, arrived, dragging was begun. The body was recovered by a settler about 7.20 p.m. It was lying on the mud in about 6ft. of water the spot where Mr. Moon had dived in. An inquest will be opened at Whangarei to-morrow before the district coroner, Mr. H. C. Hemphill. WAIKATO RIVER VICTIM BATHER UNABLE TO SWIM CURRENT PREVENTS RESCUE [FROM OCR OWN correspondent] TAUPIRI, Sunday A bathing fatality occurred in the Waikato River at Taupiri on Saturday afternoon. The victim was: — Mr. Sydney Sharp, single, aged 22, whose home is in New Plymouth, and who was employed on the farm of Messrs. Lornie Brothers, Orini. Only two other bathers, Messrs. Ken. Cassey, of Orini, and Bruce Cullen, of Taupiri, were present at the time, and neither is a strong swimmer. When Mr. Sharp, who was unable to swim, got out of his depth, the others found it impossible to bring him to the bank against the current. Although extensive dragging was carried out under Constable McGcuer, of Ngarnawahia, the body had not been recovered at a late hour this afternoon.