TOMAHAWK FATALITY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19966, 7 December 1926, Page 2

TOMAHAWK FATALITY.

DEATH OF HARRY BAKER. BRAVE ATTEMPTS AT RESCUE. CORONER’S APPRECIATIVE COMMENT. “This is one of those sad fatalities that will happen from time to time,” said the coroner (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) in delivering a verdict of death through accidental drowning at the adjourned inquest yesterday on the body of Harry Stephen Baker, who was drowned at Smaill’s Beach, near Tomahawk, on November 7. “It only emphasises once more that these beaches are dangerous ones, particularly for good swimmers. Strangely enough, they are usually good swimmers who are drowned there, as they sometimes go out too far, whereas others keep close inshore and are content to paddle. I would like to commend the great efforts made by the other members of the party, all of whom conducted themselves bravely indeed, and carried on till they were exhausted. In particular there was the young lady who stood up to her shoulders in water. Her action was very brave. The only unpleasant feature was that there were other men standing about in swimming costumes and not giving a hand. It is regrettable that a girl should have been up to her shoulders in water while these men made no effort to assist.” Sergeant Murray conducted the case for the police. Arthur Wootton, a signwriter, said that he was one of a party that went out to Tomahawk. Seven of them, including the deceased, went in swimming about' 11.45, Cox, Baker, and himself being the last three to enter the water. They swam out together, and when they had gone out a certain distance witness suggested to Baker that they should return, as they were being carried out by the current. They swam together for some time, and they tried to walk, but were still out of their depth. They tried to cut across at an angle. Witness got out of the current and passed Simpson going in to assist Baker. He asked witness if he were all right, and told him to get a rope. Witness ran some distance up the beach and got some other members of the party to get a rope, and he re-entered the water to assist Simpson, who was exhausted. By this time a rope had been secured and witness had it tied round him (a girl named Sheila Neilson having hold of the other end), and went to help Cox. Justas he reached Cox the latter collapsed. Witness managed to retain his hold of Cox, and with the assistance of the rope he got him ashore. Baker had disappeared by the time witness went out for Ljx. Two other men eame on the scene and assisted Miss Neilson, but as apou as they got out of their depth they left it to the girl, who was up to her shoulders in water. All the bathers were more or less in difficulties. That was the first time that witness had bathed there, and it was not u.Cil he turned back that he realised the of the current. Robert Nelson Cr>x, dental student, said that when he realised shat Baker was in trouble he caught hold of one of his hands, but he was unabje to keep him above water on account of the undercurrent. After swimming a little way he felt his feet touch the edge of a sand bank, but Baker was torn away from him by a breaker. The undercurrent also dragged him into a deep hole by the sand bank. That was the last he saw of the deceased. Ho was assisted ashore by Wootton and then collap,sed. To the Coroner: That was the first time witness had been in the water that season. He had not been in the surf for years. Simpson was the best swimmer of the party. James David M’Kewen, salesman, said that he saw two men in trouble and went to the assistance of one, who was Cox. He noticed, however, that ho was able to swim, and so he turned his attention to Simpson and Baker. Simpson and witness swam with Baker for about 15 minutes, during which time Baker showed no sign of life. Witness asked Simpson to get a rope, as he was the faster swimmer. Cox gave him a hand to support Baker. They swam for a while, but a breaker broke them and he found himself about 15 feet away from Oox and Baker. He managed to reach them again, and in the trough of a wave they touched the bottom, but another wave came and increased the depth by about two feet, and Baker was torn from their grasp That was the last they saw of him. John Eric Green, wool classer, said that he thought the other members of the party were out too far and he called out to then!* to come in. He thoughc they were following—“in fact,” he added, “they were following”—and with Bernard Cox he went for a run up the beach. When they returned he saw a girl in the sea, with waves dashing over her head. He could not understand it for a while until he saw that she was holding a rope. He then noticed that Wootton was at the end of the rope assisting Cox. There were several other men in bathing suits about, and the girl told him that she had asked them to help, but they would not enter the water. They made no serious effort to assist at all, except with advice. Bernard Glenney Cox said that he had assisted in helping his brother ashore. The remainder of his evidence was of a corroborative nature. The Coroner then delivered his verdict.