TWO DROWNED

Southland Times, Issue 25362, 14 August 1935, Page 7

TWO DROWNED

POLICEMAN AND GIRL GALLANT RESCUE ATTEMPT BODIES DISAPPEAR (Per United Press Association.) Hamilton, August la. A tragic sequel to a gallant attempt at rescue was a double drowning tragedy which occurred in the Waikato River at Hamilton this afternoon following a young woman’s fall from the northern side of the railway bridge. Both the young woman and Constable Charles Hayward Williams, aged 31, who dived to her rescue disappeared from sight and were drowned. The young woman was aged about 26. Wearing a fur coat she was seen to traverse the railway line on the bridge. After climbing over the rail she fell 85 feet into the river below. Several of the workmen engaged in strengthening the structure ran down to the bank on the western side and one of them, Mr G. Clark, aged 27, dived in and succeeded in pulling the girl towards the shore. However, the current was strong at this point and the girl is said to have made little effort to help herself. Clark became exhausted and was forced to relinquish his hold, with the result that she drifted on down-stream. She was then alive. Clark was assisted back to the bank by the other workmen by means of a rope attached to a lifebelt. By that, time Constable Williams had reached the scene and accompanied by Clark, he made his way through thick undergrowth for about threequarters of a mile down the bank until opposite the floating body of the woman. Constable Williams dived in and swam towards her. Hampered by his uniform and struggles through the undergrowth he was exhausted after supporting her. Clark dived in again this time to assist the constable, the woman having floated further down. Before Clark could reach Constable Williams the latter sank from sight and Mr E. W. G. Thorpe, the child welfare officer, Mr W. Murphy and Mr Hall, bridge workmen who had followed the rescue party, divested themselves of their clothing and waded in to assist Clark to the shore.

They returned for Constable Williams, but could not find him. By this time the woman also had disappeared.

Police officers are now dragging the river for the two bodies.