DROWNING FATALITY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14191, 8 January 1917, Page 4

DROWNING FATALITY.

DEATH OF A' YOUNG MAN. A sad drowning fatality occurred in the Waifnata river yesterday about midday, when a young man named Bertram Robert 'Watkihs'/ 1 a clerk 'at the Gis-borne-railwhyf station, I63t' his life- under distressing' circumstances; L It appears that a "party- comprising ' the deceased, ' to 1 gether 'with' MesßrsiiWm" Moorman and II; 'H. Pickering,: if ellow'emploj'ees* in the railway service, and Mr* j; -Pollock-, together -with several ladiefe, proceeded to a spot known AS 1 the Hole-in-thq-Wdl.-Most of the picnickers went out byj;ab, including*' Watkihs, 'whilst* the others cycled to the locality. Shortly after chdttsing-theiir" picnic ground -the youtog Hien crossed the! river, and proceeded to Mr" ■W-:- i <j. McLean's residence for wateVv^ , ' to' -' the' camp, '- and beinjg* in Tjdtohing' costuihe; they ; decided to*>feohtihUe "their MtheY Watkihs and Moorman were close together, and* : a few afiter ' plunging in deceased called *tO= his -companion; ■••" Moorman grabbed hold *>f ; his 1 tfrieiid, who appeared '•te'haVfeJ'^uddenly ■Collapsed; 1 and was making" v£ry littk efforti * After'' «trug^ glittg with him for som'e" tim£ Moorman, who* ' is* -" not ; an : • (skyer t swimmfer , was cbiripelled Ytb*! iretea&Y his-^bold, > and struggled -to the baftk'exhsiusted.' When he tffcai&^'theybarifc Watkins ! »'liad di.V app6a*ed,^de^ite'l'h^ faot 'that "the two otlteW Had* also mide to "his assistancfe; Th6'*yotfftjgYnlen -dfb quite unable to account 1 bi* ther tragedy . Deceased' ■ was a fai^'stfimnier. and prioi* 'to entering ther • Avater^ 'toeyappfeared in excellent health;" He vliad Nvalked of er t6 :Mr McLean's, a distance «f about thi*<ie<quarters of a mile, and was jovial and •in 1 gddd. pints'. The' youug> ladies in the party were on the bank «at the tinie^ '''audi witnessed the ' distressing accident. The-'-rjiver'at the spot they went in was about Bft in depth, but shelved to ten or twelve fee* further outin 'th'e rivCr. • The river was stilt -a. good deal* discolored as a- result of the recent rain* It appears th'ab Moormsn mado a plucky attempt to save deceased.—frnd faitit^ally'had hold of himya second time.' being forced to desist in his effort only when ,; himself just about donet'-' ■Y- - ' '•' ?■.-.'-■■'" ■No time' was lost in communicating with the police by telephone Yand Constables- Whtt and Butfea-woi'th Avere - despatched-Ptb the;/ locality, whilst other picnickers on be river- joined -in the search, for the body. Dragging operations -\*ere continued until H o'clock last night -without rijsUlt, tlie work beuig gt*«»tlyy ihampered. by the numerous snags in the river. The search Avasoontonued to-day -by Constables * Butterworth and Mprris. -. -.- „ • Deceased, who Avas a popular member ojt/ the -staff, acted as ticket' cl.eirk. He was'22 years of age, and Avas transif erred to Gisborne from Auckland k about twelve months ago. *His relatives, reside at. Cookstrect. Hamilton: ' - ■■ ■