TWO DROWNING FATALITIES

Southland Times, Issue 17231, 30 December 1912, Page 5

TWO DROWNING FATALITIES

HEROIC ATTEMPT TO RESCUE. ( Per United Press Association. ) CHRISTCHUR6H, December 28. Two drowning' fatalities occurred at Sumner to-day. There was a strong north-wester blowing which apparently had the effect of making the beach dangerous, and strong swimmers found themselves in difficulties. A man named Geo Richard Atkinson, a resident of Woolston, and only about three months out from England went to Sumner with his wife and three children this morning, and about noon he went for a swim near the pier. The tide was running out very fast, and the urfder tow caught him. Others went to his aid, and it is said that he told one man who got him to where he could put his feet on the bottom, that he was all right, but as soon as he was let go he disappeared and was not seen again. About three o’clock this afternoon when the New South Wales and other visiting swimmers wore about to give a demonstration of life-saving methods near the pier at Sumner, a report was brought that a man was in grave difficulties in the water towards the bathsend of the beach. The whole party with their apparatus set oft at once. The man could be seen far out, and Solomons and Hay went towards him. When within, roughly, a hundred yards of him, he was seen to throw up his hands and disappear. Solomons dived/ hot could find no sign of him, and returned, to the shore. The man, whose name was Bathurst, was bathing with his wife, hi® son. and some friends. Solomons was obviously affected seriously by the happening when a reporter saw him afterwards. It was an example, he said, which must have been needed for many years. The space of the beacbl was very big, and, for their own s&kea, they should be compelled to bathe within certain limits so that In case of trouble help might be at hand. Thl* was the custom at all recognised bathing places In Australia, and moat cer- i tainly it should be adopted here-* Bathurst was drowned because of th® delay occasioned by the long run down: the beach, and, even when they got to the place, the only direction they conld get was “out there.” Solomons says they put up a very fine swim, and they) were half a mile out before they sighted the drowning man. When roughly a( hundred yards away, Solomons saw de*< ceased's hands go up. Then he was seen no more. They dived a great many? times, but could not find him. Purtheit down the current was very strong, muehj stronger than towards the surface; in fact the currents were quite unusual, In his opinion the day was a very dangerous one and swimming difficult Further particulars of the drowning fatalities are to the effect that the Sydney swimmers showed great pluck In endeavouring to assist Bathurst Solomons and Hays dived a score of times, 1 but without avail. This is the first failure to save life in similar circumstances, due probably to having received! the alarm too late. Solomons has rescued nearly eighty persons in Sydney.) Ernest Charles Bathurst Is the full name of the drowned man, who resided.*; at St. Albans and was aged 59. At th®’ time of the fatality, he was stiffing wlt» his wife and son, and two other men.. George Richard Atkinson, 42 years, re-* sided at Linwood, and he was employed! by the Kaiapoi Woollen Company. AJ collection taken up on the beach afteff. the fatality in aid of the widow and! family‘resulted in over £36 being given* and promises of further amounts wer®. received. The bodies are still unrecovered, and the general opinion is that: they have been swept out to sea. Some of the members of the Sunmen Life Boat Brigade, under Acting-Pllotl Hines and accompanied by Constable! Hampton, went out to-day In the dlree-| tlon of Whitewash Head, but owing ta/ the heavy sea, they were unable to get| near enough the rocks to ascertain Iff there were any signs of the bodies of! the victims. Search will be continued to-morrow. , , FURTHER PARTICULARS. SENSATIONAL FEATURES.’' (Special to the Times.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 29. - - The drowning of the man Bathurst Its the surf at Sumner yesterday afternoon! was marked by some • sensational features. The beach was thlckly'Uned with" peopje, who had been attracted by, theannouncement that the Sydney and Wellington swimming teams would give a, demonstration of life-saving methodsThe "dummies” who. were to be rescue* had just entered the, surf as the first act in the proposed demonstration,'when.', an alarm was raised that a swimmer wasin difficulties about 400 yards further* along the beach. Led by Solomons, th® Manly champion, the whole party mad® off with their apparatus to the assistance of the man. Hay, another of the Sydney ifien. entered the water in the belt at the end of the life line accompanied by Solomons. The other members of the team (Sydney and Wellington men asslste* by a few local swimmers) took up their proper positions on the life line without any flurry, and formed a line out to sea. Solomons and Hay were soon far out in, the breakers. In the meantime the Sumner life boat had been launched and, manned, and made for Bathurst wh® could be seen floating in the heavy sea. He was nearly half a mile out from! the beach. Solomons and Hay mad®* great progress consldfering the broken* jobblv sea that was running. Solomon® got to within about fifty yards of Bathurst, when the latter was seen to throw up his hands and disappear. Solomon® dived several times on the chance of securing the man, but he saw nothing©!! him. The life boat which had r®ache<S the vicinity then picked np Solomons, who was verv much exhausted, and took him ashore. The party who were maklnaf the life line reached the beach in safety* after a very hard swim. The feat of Solomons and Hay (m lac® the work of the whole party) was tb® talk of the "City last night. The twot Sydney men put up a wonderful performance, and It was e sensational revelation in surf work. Mr A. W. Smith* of Wellington, was in charge of the reel on the beach, and he with the other members of the Wellington contingent! did splendid work.