DOUBLE DROWNING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17956, 7 December 1932, Page 7

DOUBLE DROWNING

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER TRAGEDY NEAR DARGAVILLE (Per Press Association.) DARGAVILLE, this day. A sad double drowning fatality occurred in the Mahutu gorge, a seaside resort six miles from Dargavilie, last night. Mr. T. G. I'arkcs, a resident ot Mangawhare, accompanied by his wife, VVilliamina Stafford l’arkes, 42, and their .daughter, Irene Grace, 10, went out by car to tho beach to gather toheroas. While the husband was gathering toheroas, Mrs. Parkes and her daughter went bathing. Tiie husband returned from his quest and could not see anything of his wife or daughter, and after an unsuccessful search motored k> tho nearest telephone, some five miles distant, for a search party to come out. A number of residents and police immediately went out. It was now fairly late, but, being moonlight., after a short search the mother s body was found at highwater mark. No one saw the accident, but it is surmised that the mother /saw the daughter in difficulties, rushed to her assistance, fell on her lace, and was suffocated, as there was no water in the body when it was found. A search for the body of tho daughter continued all night, but up to the piesent no trace has been found.