ESCAPE FROM DROWNING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19227, 20 January 1937, Page 15

ESCAPE FROM DROWNING

CONSTABLE AND HELPER CAPSIZE OF PUNT The Maknra Stream, near the spot where Mr. T. A. Jones, a Pelone dental surgeon, was drowned recently, was the scene of a narrow escape from a double drowning last, Friday. The men involved were Constable R. Phillips, who is stationed at Jolirisonville, and who is conducting the search for the body of tho late Mr. Jones, and Mr, Cliff Denham, son of a district settler, who is helping the constable. The two men set off to cross the Makara Stream at a point where it-is about JO yards wide, to get to a spot near the Boom Rock, the crag from which Mr. Jones was swept. From this spot the constable and his companion intended commencing the day’s searching operations. The boat in which they set. out ro cross the stream was a very old and leaky, almost flat-bottomed punt. While one of the couple rowed or paddled the boat, the other kept bailing as fast as possible, but the water poured in more quickly than it could be baled out. There was a strong tide running at the time, and when about half-way across, the punt was struck by a wave and the occupants' were thrown off their balance. Before.they could correct their balance, the leaky craft capsized. Both men were heavily clad with coats and heavy boots, and had great difficulty in swimming ashore, neither being an exceptionally strong swimmer.

After resting they were able to proceed with the search, but still without success.