Double Drowning

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19459, 26 December 1934, Page 7

Double Drowning

FATALITY AT TUAKAU. YOUNG MEN LOSE LIVES. ACCIDENT WHILE BATHING. TUAKAU, Tuesday. In the Waikato River this afternoon, a few hun.dred yards above the Tuakau Bridge, a double drowning accident ooourred. The victims were: — Mr Roy Lowrle, aged 26, married, farmer, of Bombay. Mr Box Wallingford Bush, aged 19, shop assistant, of Tuakau. Mr Bush and Mr A. Bell, of Tuakau, entered the water for a swim aftqji their mid-day meal. They swam downstream toward a sandbank, which projected some distance into the river. Mr Bell readied shallow water and was making toward the shore when he noticed that Mr Bush was not accompanying him. He turned and sa,\y that Mr Bush was in the channel, which is about 12ft. deep. He appeared to be treading water and was calling for help. Attempt at Resoue. Mr Lowrie, who had arrived at the picnic ground a l'ew minutes before with a party, which included his wife and two children, rushed into the water *■ to assist Mr Bush. Mr Lowrie, who was clothed in a shirt, pair of trousers, and shoes, reached and caught Mr Bush, but after, making fruitless efforts to move toward the shore must have released him, for Mr Bush disappeared from view. Mr Lowrie then tried to regain land, but almost immediately he, too, sank and did not appear again.

Mr Bush was seen to oome to the surface after Mr Lowrie had disap-

peared, but the onlookers were either too far distant to be able to assist, or were unable -to swim, and Mr Bush sank again. ’

The river is affected by the tide at the point where the tragedy occurred, and the outgoing tide made the current very swift. Mr Bush was a weak swimmer, but Mr Lowrie was a good swimmer. A party recovered Mr Lowrie’s body shortly after< 5 p.m. The other body was not recovered until 7.30 p.m. The Victims. Mr Lowrie was a well-known farmer of Bombay,, being the third son of Mr A. Lowrie.' He was vice-president of tlie Bombay branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union and had been a prominent Rugby footballer. He is survived by his wife, and an infant son and daughter,

Mr Bush was a son of Mr and Mrs H. Bush, of Tuakau, and was employed by Mr \V. G. Graham, storekeeper, of Mercer.

A similar double drowning accident occurred at the same spot as to-day’s tragedy live years ago, when Hazel and Beryl Lapwood, aged 16 and 14 years respectively, daughters of Mr G. Lapwood, of Tuakau, lost their lives.