DROWNED IN RIVER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24759, 6 December 1943, Page 2

DROWNED IN RIVER

SMALL BOY'S DEATH ACCIDENT AT WARKWORTH (0.C.) WARKWORTH, Sunday A small boy who was reported missing from his grandparents' home in Warkworth last evening was found drowned in the Mahurangi River, just above the falls, this morning, lie was James William Mitchell, aged two years and eight months, son of Mr, ana Mrs. J. Mitchell, of Wellington. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell were visiting Mrs. Mitchell's parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. J. 13 row it, of Warkworth, whose home is aboift 100 yards from the liver. Jn the.vicinity is an old weir, behind which*n;he water is banked up to a considerable depth. . . The boy was first reported missing at 6.40 p.m. on Saturday, and a search was organised within ten minutes. A large number of local residents and servicemen took part, and dragging was begun in the river under the charge of Constable G. Robertson. Efforts to find the boy were suspended at 10 p.m. Dragging was resumed early this morning, and the boy's body was located at about 10 o'clock in 15ft. of water near the weir. A track leads from the house where he was staying down to the bank, where canoes are kept, and it was near this spot that the body was recovered. FISHING TRAGEDY KEEPERS AT LIGHTHOUSE (P.A.) INVERCARGILL, Saturday The first and second lighthousekeepers at Centre Island, who went out fishing in a dinghy yesterday afternoon, (lid not return and are presumed to be drowned. They were: — Mr. John Tait, aged 30, married. Mr. P. Hewitt, aged 21, single. A search was carried out by an aeroplane and two launches, but there was no sign of the boat when darkness came. When the search was resumed this morning the plane located the dinghy floating capsized, about five miles east of Centre Island. One of the launches took the dinghy in tow. There was a high sea. No sign was seen ol the two men. BEACH FATALITY GIRL BATHER DROWNED (P.A.) GREYMOUTH, Sunday A fatality occurred at Seven .Mile Beach, near Runanga, this afternoon, when two girl bathers got into difficulties. The victim was Mary Janet Smith Gillaly. aged 17, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Gillaly, reside in Corrall Street, Runanga. Artificial respiration was tried and the girl was taken to the Grey River Hospital, but was apparently dead on arrival. Her sister, Betty Gillaly, was also taken to hospital, tier condition is not serious. BODY IN THE HARBOUR MISSING MAN'S FATE The body of Mr. Charles Edwin Hills, widower, aged 64, of 45 Glen Road, Devonport, who had been missing since November 19, was found floating in the harbour off the end of the western tide deflector at Westhaven on Saturday afternoon. The body, which was first noticed by the custodian of the Westhaven cabaret, was identified by a social security levy book and other papers in the pockets of the clothing. An inquest was opened before the coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, vesterday morning and adjourned.