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TRAMPER’S FATE

SWEPT AWAY BY RIVER DROWNING AT RAKAIA HEADWATERS WELL-KNOWN ALPINIST (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, December 26. Losing his balance while fording the Rakaia river at the headwaters yesterday afternoon, Maxwell Keith Townsend, aged about 24, a well-known Canterbury mountaineer and tramper, was wept away and drowned. Usually the fording of the Rakaia at this point presents little difficulty, but yesterday the river was in slight flood and apparently when Townsend lost his balance he was unable to free himself of his heavy pack, nor could, his two companions on the trip reach him to assist. Mr Townsend, with two members of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club. Messrs W. B. Cullens and G. C. T. Burns, left Christchurch by motor-car yesterday morning, accompanied also by a party of Wellington climbers, for the head of the Rakaia river. The three Canterbury men intended to climb at the head of the Cattle Creek tributary of the Rakaia, leaving from. Glenfalloch Station. It was necessary to ford the Rakaia to reach Cattle Creek. Mr Townsend had for some years been a very active member of the Canterbury Mountaineering Club and for some time had been organizer of the club’s monthly., expeditions. Last Christmas, with Mr Burns, he made the trip from Arthur’s Pass to the Hermitage by way of the headwaters of the Canterbury rivers and high alpine passes. There were few parts of the Canterbury and Westland ranges which he had not explored. He was a single man residing with his mother in Packes street, St. Albans, and -was employed on the accountancy side of the Public Trust Office.

SUDDEN DROWNING OLD CONTEMPTIBLE’S DEATH. HEART SEIZURE SUSPECTED. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, December 26. When swimming in the Hutt river at Silverstream about 5.45 o’clock this afternoon William Hillock, a Wellington plumber, aged about 50, was drowned in the presence of a number of picnickers. Mr Hillock was a strongly-built man and a powerful swimmer, and his sudden drowning is believed to be due to a hear seizure. Mr Hillock and his family were spending the day at Silverstream. Late in the afternoon he entered the water for a swim and when in about 11 feet of water suddenly disappeared.. A Wellington resident, Glen Jones, noticed Mr Hillock’s plight and immediately went to his rescue. He succeeded in bringing Mr Hillock to the surface and in getting him to the bank. A constable arrived on the scene just as Mr Hillock was dragged on to the. bank and worked on him with respirative methods for over 20 minutes, but without avail. Mr Hillock was one of the Old Contemptibles and fought with a Welsh regiment during the Great War. YOUNG MAN DROWNED CAUGHT BY BIG BREAKER. GIRL COMPANION RESCUED. (Per United Press Association.) New Plymouth, December 26. Harry Phillips, aged 20, of Waitoitoi, was drowned and a Miss Baker narrowly escaped a similar fate when both were knocked over by a big breaker at Wai-iti Beach, a few miles north of Urenui, about 8 p.m. yesterday. Miss Baker was rescued by her brother and had sufficiently recovered to return home after medical attention. Phillips and Miss Baker were heading to the shore when they were caught by a big wave and swept off their feet. They were at once in difficulties in the undertow and Phillips was not seen again. His body had not been recovered up to a late hour last night.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST19351227.2.73

Bibliographic details

Southland Times, Issue 22774, 27 December 1935, Page 7

Word Count
572

TRAMPER’S FATE Southland Times, Issue 22774, 27 December 1935, Page 7

TRAMPER’S FATE Southland Times, Issue 22774, 27 December 1935, Page 7

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