TWO MEN MISSING.
THE WAIMAKARIRI TRIP.
CAPSIZE OF A RAFT.
THIRD MAN'S NARROW, ESCAPE
(Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.
Three young Christchurch men began a raft trip down the Waimakariri River on Saturday morning. The raft capsized in the gorge at 3 o'clock on Sunday afternoon. One man reached shore, but the other two have not since been seen. The missing are:
Gerard Nelson Carrington, aged 21; engineering student, Canterbury College.
John Stevenson Shannon, aged 21; a student at Canterbury College, and a master at West Lyttelton School.
The man who reached shore is Walter William Brassington, aged 22, a master at the Christchurch Boys' High School.
The partt left Christchurch by a goods train late on Friday night, and they arrived at Cora Lynn the following morning. A raft was waiting for them there, and their intention was to float down the river, hoping to arrive near Oxford on Sunday afternoon. However, bad weather was encountered and the river, running high, made the trip a dangerous one. The raft was upset many times, but the voyagers did not think conditions dangerous enough to warrant an abandonment of the trip. Mr Brassington, who had a marvellous escape from drowning, endured great hardship in bringing news of the mishap to Staircase yesterday morning. He communicated with the police, and a search party, headed by Constable Johns, of Darfield, was sent out. The 11 a.m. train from Springfield was held up till 12.25 in order, to carry the party.
Story of the Trip. Mr Brassington arrived in Christchurch at 5 o'clock last night, and after he had rested at his home he gave an account of his experiences. The party left Christchurch on Friday night and arrived at Cora Lynn early on Saturday morning. They began their trip down the river at the Mount White bridge a few miles above Cass. The raft was made of 30 tins braced together by two by three pieces of timber. It was between eight and nine o'clock in the morning when they set out. It was raining hard at the time, and the raft upset in the first hundred yards of the trip, their food and blankets being drenched. They went down the river about 10 miles and then decided that they had done enough for the day. They landed and set up a camp on the river bank.
Dashed Against the Rocks. Sunday was fine, but the river was swollen. They decided' to carry on, and the going was good for a few miles. Then they reached the gorge. At the mouth of the gorge they were seen by a party of men, who waved to them as they floated by.
Soon after they got into the gorge the going became rougher, and they were dashed against bluffs of rock. They passed into wild country with the river boiling down between sheer walls of rock. They went on for several miles without mishap until they struck a series of waves five or six feet high. The last one turned the raft over backward, and they climbed on the bottom and went down the river some distance in this manner. Seizing an opportunity, Mr Carrington jumped off and managed to drag the raft on to a shingle bank. They wrung out their clothes, lit a fire, and decided that they would go some distance further and then, climb up to the railway line where it met the gorge.
Battle for Life. They started out again and went some distance till they came to a place where the river boiled round a bluff. They hit the bluff and the raft turned over once again.
"That's the last I saw of Shannon and Carrington," said Mr Brassington.
Mr Brassington's own experiences after that show that he had a miraculous escape from drowning.
"I managed to get on the raft twice while it was being whirled and crashed into the rock," he said.
"Twice I tried to climb on to the bluff, but each time I was pulled down by the force of the current and by my own weight. I managed to cling on to a piece of the raft for a few minutes more, and then I was smashed against the rock and sucked under. I was almost unconscious then I was caught by a current and thrown above water. In the next hundred yards I came to the surface once or twice, and then I was hurled into another bluff of rock. I was pulled down again, and for the second time felt the drowning sensation. A little later I saw the water lighten and I managed to get my head to the surface. I felt my feet touch the bottom, but I was too weak to stand, and finally I was washed ashore on shingle.
"I looked about, but I saw no sign of Carrington or Shannon, but parts of the raft were drifting down."
In Search of Help. Mr Brassington then decided to go across country to the railway line and obtain help. He climbed through bush on his hands and knees and struggled over a small mountain. It began to snow, and he followed a small stream but his weakened condition made progress difficult. He thought then that he would have to camp out for the night and run the risk of exposure. It was nearly dark when he passed down into another valley and found a hut. He rested there for a time and then went out again to see if he could find anyone to help him. He came back and got into a bunk, placing the mattress upon himself for warmth. He had no food, but, having two matches, he lit a fire and dried his clothing.
Personal Details. Mr Carrington is twenty-one years of age and is a son of Dean Carrington, of Christchurch. Receiving the early part of his education at Christ's College he has been attending Canterbury College for the past two years taking engineering courses. He is well, known to many as the organisrer and secretary of the Christchurch Tramping Club. Last year, he led the party from the Canterbury Progress League which investigated the Waimakariri Glacier. He has undertaken many long walks in the South Island, having covered a great deal of the virgin country in the hinterland of the Alps.
Mr Shannon is a popular student at Canterbury College and he played football for the Christchurch Training College. He was teaching at the West Lyttelton School and recently he was appointed to a position in Timaru.
Mr Shannon was born at Rakaia and is the son of Mr C. Shannon, a builder of that place. He received his primary education at the Rakaia School. Mr Shannon became a pupil of the Ashburton High School in 1917 and left at the end of 1919, after passing his Public Service examination to take up the position of pupil teacher at the Rakaia school. He was a keen footballer while at school and was also a prefect. -Ashburton Guardian 24/8/1926.
Search For J. S. Shannon Continued.
INQUEST OPENED ON G. N. CARRINGTON.
PARTY HAVE DIFFICULT TASK TO RECOVER BODY.
In a backwash a little above the junction of the Waimakariri and Broken Rivers, the body of Gerard Nelson Carrington, a victim of the raft tragedy on Sunday, was found yesterday morning. An inquest was opened last night, and after evidence of identification had been taken, was adjourned sine die.
The discovery of the body was made by Mr Jack Kidd, of Avoca, who returned to Avoca and secured pack horses, the place being in wild rugged country and difficult of access. A party, consisting of Messrs Kidd, Mann, Edwards and Butler left Avoca at 1.30 yesterday afternoon with three horses and a stretcher.
It was a difficult task to get to the spot where the body was found and after it had been secured, a dangerous trip in the dark had to be undertaken, the party arriving at Avoca at 9 p.m., where a train had been held up until their arrival. The body was taken on to Springfield arriving there at 10.15p.m.
Here an inquest was opened before the Coroner, Mr H. P. Lawry, S.M., and after evidence of identification had been given by Major A. H. Carrington, who had left Christchurch for Springfield upon receipt of the news from Mr Kidd, the inquest was adjourned sine die.
The Coroner commended the search parties for their great work.
The funeral will take place at Springfield at 2 p.m. to-morrow, and the remains of the victim of the tragedy will be interred in the cemetery there. This is understood to be the wish of the family, that one who so loved tramping the mountains should find a last resting-place in their vicinity.
The third raftsman, John Stevenson Shannon, remains to be accounted for. A party of about twelve people, including Major Carrington and members of the Shannon family, of Rakaia, left this morning for the scene of the accident, and to work downstream, passing the point where Gerard Carrington’s body was found, some three or four miles below where the raft capsized.
A party of three from Avoca, headed by Mr Kidd, set out again this morning to search the river in the vicinity where Carrington’s body was found.
Finding of the Body. Mr Kidd was one of the men in the search party from Avoca. He discovered the body at the bottom end of the gorge. He waded into the water and brought the lifeless man to the shore. Finding that he could not carry such a burden over the difficult country he made straight for Avoca and telephoned to Mr McAlpine, of Craigieburn; asking what had best be done. Mr McAlpine's suggestion that horses be obtained was followed out, and the body was brought by that means to Avoca. Here it was found that a wristlet watch on the body bore the initials “G.N.C.,” and that the forehead of the victim was cut slightly.
The Darfield police were communicated with. The train from Avoca arrived at Springfield between nine and ten o’clock last night, after which the inquest was opened. The Rev J. F. Coursey, of St John’s Church, Christchurch, was present.
Parts of Raft and Kit. Near where the body was found were discovered broken portions of the raft and some of the belongings of the raftsmen. They were littered about the edge of the water and had been left on the stones as the flooded river subsided.
Other searchers were active yesterday. A small party which included Mr John McAlpine, of Craigieburn, searched the whole of the upper gorge, working from the scene of the accident upstream to the Esk River. Many people were active in a search low down in the gorge also. Mr W. K. McAlpine, who headed one of the search parties, arrived in Christchurch last evening.
“Sheer Bad Luck.” Mr McAlpine, who knows the river well, says that the accident occurred through sheer bad luck. If the raft had successfully negotiated the whirlpool where the accident occurred it would, in all probability, have accomplished the rest of the journey safely.
No news had been received from any of the search parties at three o'clock this afternoon. The Springfield party started out on the five o’clock train this morning for the scene of the accident.
A party of College House students will act as pall-bearers at Mr G. N. Carrington’s funeral at Springfield tomorrow.
The Dean of Christchurch and his family offer their thanks to those residents in the neighbourhood of the Waimakariri who so readily and splendidly assisted in searching the river and country, after the sad accident on Sunday; also to the students of College House, and to others known and unknown who did all in their power to give help and show sympathy. -Star, 27/8/1926.
FUNERAL.
THE Funeral of the late Gerard Nelson Carrington will leave the residence of Mr Kay, Springfield, tomorrow, Saturday, at 2 p.m., for the Springfield Cemetery. — REUBEN LORD. -Star, 27/8/1926.
RIVER TRAGEDY.
NO TRACE OF JESSING MAN.
No trace has yet been discovered of the missing man in the Waimakariri tragedy, J. S. Shannon. There was no organised search yesterday, but settlers kept a watch on the river. It is not expected that the body will be found except by the merest chance. Another organised search, however, will be carried out in a day or two.
REQUIEM SERVICE HELD.
A full choral Requiem service in memory of the two voting men who lost their lives, Gerard Nelson Carrington and John Stevenson Shannon, was held in the Christchurch Cathedral yesterday morning.
Holy Communion was celebrated by the Precentor, Rev. J. R. Rawle. A special epistle was read by Canon Mutter, and the Gospel by Canon Staples Hamilton. Canon Wilford assisted at the service.
The special music was sung by an adult choir, and the hymns were: ''o Lord to Whom the Spirit Lives," and "The King of Love My Shepherd Is."
Bishop Campbell West-Watson, Dean Carrington, and the Rev. E. C. Crosse were present at the service, which was attended by students from College House and the general public desirous of showing sympathy. Prior to the service, the tenor bell, half muffled, was rung.
JOHN STEVENSON SHANNON AN APPRECIATION:
BY ONE WHO KNEW HIM.
At a time of life when youth gives of its best and makes its life-long friends John Stevenson Shannon has been called away.
To one who know him intimately his character made a strong appeal — an appeal which, strong though it was in life, is even stronger and more intimate now that he is gone. To know him really well, to understand his blunt straight-forward code, his hatred of all that was mean and petty, combined with a large-hearted and kindly tolerance of all the more human shortcomings — to understand him in all these things, one had to get below that show of humorous cynicism by which he was wont to veil his ideas on human nature. But, in reality, he was no cynic. His nature was too generous to permit of that. But we who knew and talked with him were thankful always to have him assume in his more critical moments that mask; for then right royally would he entertain us. He was one who when there was nothing really, worth saying would always deem it better to keep his peace; and, added to this, his astonishing knowledge and genuine appreciation of all that was best in literature, combined with his genius for apt quotation, made it always a real pleasure and indeed a privilege to have a "yarn" with "Shan."
One cannot help but recall a few lines from amongst his many favourites. They are from Shelley's "Adonais" and their strength and consolation — which no doubt caused them to find such favour with Jack — are singularly appropriate on this occasion, in that they contain his own expressed philosophy of death. —
"He has out-soared the shadow of our night; Envy and calumny, and hate and pain.
And that unrest which men miscall delight, Can touch him not and torture, not again;
From the contagion of the world's slow stain. He is secure; and now can never mourn
A heart grown cold, a head grown grey in vain."
The Great Parting has come. To our abiding sorrow it is a parting which leaves us with only memories. But they will always be very pleasant and happy ones of Jack.
PROGRESS LEAGUE'S TRIBUTE.
At the meeting last night of the executive of the Progress League, the chairman, Mr J, E. Strachan, made reference to the lamentable death of Messrs G. N. Carrington and J. S. Shannon in the Waimakariri fatality. Mr Carrington had been the leader of the Progress League party which went on an exploration trip into the upper reaches of the Waimakariri. Largely due to Mr Carrington's efforts, a subsidy of £60 had been obtained for the building of a but on the banks of the Upper Waimakariri, and the timber for the hut was already there. He understood the hut was to have been erected by students enrolled by Mr Carrington for that purpose, and it had been suggested that the League, as controlling the funds, should erect a tablet in his memory at the hut, and that it should be known as the "Carrington Hut."
A motion of condolence with the parents of the young men was passed. -Press, 2/9/1926.
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