BOY LOSES LIFE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24244, 9 April 1942, Page 6

BOY LOSES LIFE

WAIKATO DROWNING TWO OTHERS MISSING SEARCH PROVES DIFFICULT (0.C.) HAMILTON, Wednesday A drowning tragedy occurred in the Waikato River, near the Maungatautari bridge, on Monday, and three boys are believed to have lost their lives. The body of one of them was recovered this morning at a point near the bridge. He was: — Arthur Rusk, aged 10, son of Mrs Ethel Rusk, widow, of Horahora Yalley, Piarere. The mis6ing boys are David Charles Rusk, aged 17, brother of Arthur Rusk, and Henry James Leslie Gosnell, the only eon of Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Gosnell, of Maungatautari. The boys left the Rusk home on Mr. R. Watkins' property on Monday afternoon to procure some petrol from a bowser station on the CambridgeTirau road at the junction with the Horahora Road. They bad not returned at 8 p.m., and a search was instituted by Mr. Watkins and his neighbours. " „ , . A tin of petrol and two fishing lines were found on the bank of the Waikato River, half a mile above the Maungatautari bridge. A boat owned by Mr. F. Smart, which is usually moored there, was missing. _ A more extensive search, organised by Constable T. J. Cotter, of Putaruru, and Constable Solly, of Cambridge, was made yesterday. The boat was found at Karapiro. Difficulty was experienced, owing to the fluctuations in the level of the river caused by the operations at Arapuni, and by the many rapids encountered. Arthur Rusk's body was found by Constable Solly and Mr. K., Wilkinson. David Rusk was a farm hand employed by Mr. Watkins. There are six boys in the family. The father, Mr. F. Rusk, died last year.