TRAGEDY AT MERCER

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20423, 14 February 1938, Page 2

TRAGEDY AT MERCER

SMALL BOAT CAPSIZES YOUNG MAN DROWNED (Special to Times.) MERCER, Sunday. Unable to swim, Mr Robert Leonard Harley 25 , tnarried, lost his life in the Waikato River at Mercer at about G.-i 5 ./clock on Saturday evening, when a llat-bottomed duck boat capsized in the stream. Mr Harley, who is employed on the duplication of the railway line, borMervyn Allan Tetzlaff 11;, who was the only witness of the tragedy. The boy said Mr Harley wanted to paddle to the oposite side of the river, so as to reach another boat he desired to pull back to the town bank. Mr Harley got within three chains of the bank when the craft overturned and he disappeared. A police party, dragging from a launch, recovered the body about three and a half hours later in 10 feet of water about two chains from the spot where the tragedy occurred. MARRIED MANS DEATH (By Te:egripj*.— Press Association) WESTPORT, Sunday. While bathing at Mokihinui this afternoon Mr Henry Cooper (38), married, with three children, was drowned. Mr Cooper, who was an employee of the Post and Telegraph Department at Christchurch, was here on holiday. FATAL SWIM IN POOL (By Telegraph.—Press Association) AUCKLAND, Monday, i While swimming in a deep pool in the Whau Creek, Avondale, yesterday afternoon, George Nanoarrow (15), 1 apprentice steel worker, son of Mr and! Mrs F. Nancarrow, of New Lynn, got, into difficulties and was drowned.