FOUR BOYS DROWNED
TRAGEDY AT WANAKA
ROWING BOAT CAPSIZES
DUNEDIN, February 10. Four children were drowned at Wanaka on Saturday. The names of the victims were: —
D’Arcy James Horrell, aged 11, son of Mrs. Horrell, of Maungawera.
Alfred Charles Archer, aged seven, son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Archer, of Wanaka.
James Neville Collins, aged seven.
Anthony Trevor Collins, aged six, children of Mr. and Mrs. Collins, also of Wanaka.
About 1.15 p.m., Mr. George Burgess, who lives a quarter of a mile from the beach overlooking the lake, saw a boat leaving the beach. A few minutes later he saw the boat capsize and the children clinging to it. Mr. Burgess at once sent his wife to a neighbour’s telephone to give the alarm and made toward the lake. Upon arrival, he saw the boat overturned but there was no sign of the children. Mr. Burgess immediately proceeded by car to Anderson s shop, where he picked up Douglas Rutherford and returned to the lake. Rutherford swam out to the floating boat, about a chain from the shore, but he could find no trace of the children. Because of the extremely cold temperature of the water Rutherford soon became exhausted and he was forced to return to the shore. By this time the police, three doctors and five visiting nurses had arrived on the scene besides the local physician. Also present were three members of surf life-saving clubs, Messrs D. A. E. Mathieson, of Dunedin, and P. E. Perry and J. Neal, of the Island Bay Club, in Wellington, who were on holiday in the district. A launch owned by Mr. J. W. Smith was obtained and Constable Simons and the three surf-club members recovered the bodies at 2 o’clock. Artificial respiration was immediately commenced and continued until 5 p.m., but without avail.
It is understood that the boat, which was lying on the beach, was pushed out into the lake by the children. There were no oars or rowlocks in the boat, but a southerly swell carried it out from the beach. -Greymouth Evening Star, 11/2/1946.
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