WAIMAKARIRI TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3783, 14 September 1926, Page 9

WAIMAKARIRI TRAGEDY.

INQUEST ON CARRINGTON. CHRISTCHURCH, September 6. The tragic story of the death of Gerard Nelson Carrington, who was lost in the Waimakariri Gorge when a raft was upset was told to-day when the inauest was conducted before the Coroner, Mr H. P. Lawry. William Walter Brassington the only survivor of the ill-fated attempt to negotiate the gorge on a raft, said that together with Carrington and J. S. Shannon, he left White’s Bridge above Cass on the morning of August 22. The raft was ready for them It was made of 30 petrol tins and was 6Tt by sft- in measurement. The tins were all soldered. The party travelled down the rivqr, and then pitched their tent for the night. The following morning they set out again. The river was low but rose during the night. While travelling through the gorge the raft was upset. Witness and the other men landed, lit a fire and dried their clothes. The journey was later continued. After going for two miles a rocky bluff was encountered. The raft capsized and the occupants of the raft were thrown into the water. That was the last witness saw of Shannon and Carrington. The mishap occurred in a very bad whirlpool. Twice witness got on to the raft, but be could not get ashore. Then he was sucked under again. He was under water for some time. Witness felt himself caught in another current, and was eventually washed under a bluff on the other side of the river From there witness got on to a shallow shingle bank and climbed ashore. He was unable to stand for some time. Tha£ would be about 300 yards from where he lost sight of his two companions. Witness could see no sign of the other men. He then walked over the hills and spent the night in an unoccupied whare. Next morning he walked to Staircase, and from there telephoned to Springfield for assistance. To Sergeant M'Gregor witness said: “I knew there was no chance for the other two when I got out. I was very lucky.” A verdict was returned that Carrington was accidentally drowned in the Waimakariri River near Broken River on August 27 while endeavouring to negotiate the river by means of a raft.