Early on Saturday morning the Timaru police received word that a boy of 16 or 17 years of age named Robert Penny, of Fairlie, was missing from Ben Ohau station. It is thought that the boy may have been drowned in a river which he had to ford on his way from Ben Ohau station to Glen Lyon station. He set out to take two horses to the latter station which he reached safely, and then commenced the return journey to Ben Ohau, but he did not return there. The horses have been found but there is no trace of the boy. Search parties have been sent out. -Timaru Herald, 17/12/1917.
The body of Robert Penny, who was drowned in a river running into Lake Ohau on 14th inst., was found on Sunday last in that river. -Oamaru Mail, 18/7/1917.
A BOY'S DEATH.
BY DROWNING.
On Tuesday an inquest was held at Lake Pukaki, touching the death of Robert Penny (aged 17), who was drowned while crossing the Dobson river on his way from Glenlyon Station to the Lake Station. Mr G. Murray of Braemar Station, presided, and there was a jury of four — Messrs R. L. Wigley (foreman), G. S. Woods, D. Pollock, S. Redmile. Constable Mackintosh represented the police.
Mrs Charttres, wife of the manager of Glenlyon Station, stated that about 9 a.m. on the 14th inst., deceased left home to go to the Lake Station, across the river, with two tins of fat. He was riding one horse and leading a pack horse.
John Young, runholder, Lake Station, said that deceased arrived at Lake Station about 10.30 a.m. on the 14th inst. He was riding one horse and leading a pack horse. He left two tins of fat at witness's woolshed. Deceased remarked that the river was a little up and that he got his feet wet riding across. Deceased left on his return journey within half an hour and appeared to be in his usual spirits. About 5 p.m. witness was informed that deceased's horses were running about the riverbank on the Lake Station side of the river. Witness went to the river and noticed that it was very high and dirty.
Joseph Preston, owner of Glenlyon Station, said that deceased had been employed by him for 7 months. He (witness) arrived at Glenlyon Station, about 10.30 a.m. on the 14th inst., and inquired where deceased was. He was informed that deceased had gone to the Lake Station. Sometime later he noticed the horses running about the river bank on the opposite side of the river.
Constable Mackintosh, of Fairlie, stated that he arrived at Glenlyon Station at about 5 p.m. on the 16th inst., and immediately went to look for the body in company with James Chartres. After searching for about an hour and a half the body was found about half a mile below the crossing. It was lying on a quick sand, and it was impossible to remove it that night. On the following morning the body was removed to the Lake Station, where he examined it, but found no marks of any kind.
The jury returned a verdict that deceased met his death by accidental drowning while crossing the Dobson river. -Timaru Herald, 21/12/1917.
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