SAVED FROM DROWNING

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1930, Page 7

SAVED FROM DROWNING

CHILDREN THROWN INTO SEA. NARROW ESCAPE OF GIRL. Seven school children who were in a boat had a miraculous escape from drowning at Whangaruru, North Auckland. T?ie children are conveyed to the native school across th© harbour by the headmaster in his launch from the Whangaruru wharf to the peninsula on which th© school is situated, about two miles away. On th© day of the accident the children had a" holiday and in order to spend the day in games and tennis at the school grounds they all boarded a rowing boat. The larger boys rowed and they safely crossed the harbour. After spending a happy day, th© return journey was commenced and the boat was only a few chains off the home shore when it struck the tide rip, which, with the fresh breeze blowing, had caused a choppy sea. This resulted in the small, overcrowded craft being swamped and overturned. All the children were thrown into the sea. They 'were all able to swim. The accident ? was noticed from the shore, but before assistance was forthcoming all the children except one had reached the shore. This child, a girl of 14, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. Peters, of Whangarei, was also a good swimmer, but was handicapped with an overcoat. In attempting to shed it while swimming, she became more hampered and was in great danger of drowning. However, a crew of a fishing launch in the vicinity had been attracted by the cries and proceeded to the spot in a dinghy. They were in time to extricate the girl from her difficulty and take her safely to land, where she received first aid and soon recovered consciousness. She is now little the worse for her experience. One of the older boys, William Reo, rendered great assistance in helping the smaller children to land. He swam out twice to their assistance.