OTAGO CRICKETER DROWNED.
COMPANION IN HOSPITAL.
(By Telegraph — Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Sunday.
Harry Baker; a young man aged about 24, who was a member of the Otago cricket team which went on tour last season, was drowned while bathing at Tomahawk Beach.
A companion, Arthur Wootton, who went to his assistance, temporarily got into difficulties, and required treatment in hospital, but is not seriously ill. -Auckland Star, 8/11/1926.
The Dunedin Club and Otago cricket generally has suffered a severe loss by the death of "Harry” Baker, who, though young, had secured a place in an Otago representative team. Baker showed exceptional promise as a batsman, and as an official of the Dunedin club, was an earnest and unselfish worker. By his death a fine cricketer and a true sportsman has been -Otago Daily Times, 11/11/1926.
THE TOMAHAWK FATALITY.
Although a constant search for the body of the young man. Harry Baker, who was drowned at Tomahawk beach on Sunday, has been maintained by the Anderson’s Bay police and the companions of the deceased, their efforts so far have proved unsuccessful. Messrs J. Simpson, J. Green, R. Cox, A. Reekie, and E. J. McCarten made an attempt yesterday morning to reach Bird Island for the purpose of searching for the body, but ’were unable to reach the island owing to the strong current. They are organising a large search party to make another attempt on Sunday next. -Otago Daily Times, 11/11/1926.
The funeral of the late Mr Harry Baker, who was drowned while bathing at Tomahawk Beach on November 7, took place yesterday from his parents’ residence in Anderson’s Bay road. The tragic death of the popular young athlete aroused widespread sorrow, and upwards of 500 mourners followed the remains to the Anderson’s Bay Cemetery. The Otago Cricket Association, Dunedin Cricket Club, Dunedin Football Club, and other sporting bodies were strongly represented, while the Christian Brothers’ School and the religious and other bodies with which the deceased had been connected each had a very large representation. -Evening Star, 6/12/1926.
HARRY BAKER'S DEATH
COMPANIONS’ BRAVERY COMMENDED
YOUNG LADY EARNS PRAISE FROM CORONER
“AN UNPLEASANT FEATURE.”
The inquest was concluded to-day before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M. into the circumstances of the death o Henry Stephen Baker, the well-known local cricketer and footballer, who lost his life whilst bathing at Smaill’s Beach on Sunday, November 7. The evidence at the inquiry revealed that deceased’s companions made magnificent efforts to rescue their friend, and several of them were almost drowned in going out repeatedly into the treacherous current. A young woman named Sheila Neilson also displayed great bravery, and her efforts, along with those of her male companions, were commended by the coroner. An unpleasant feature, commented upon by the coroner, was the fact that several of those who were not members of deceased’s party apparently allowed Miss Neilson to struggle with the rope as best she could when the rescue operations from the shore end became a little more risky that they had been.
Arthur Wootton, a signwriter, said he was amongst the party that went with the deceased to Tomahawk. About seven of them went into the surf, all of them being swimmers. Baker, witness, and a man named Cox were the last to go into the water. After swimming about for some time witness suggested to Baker that they should return, as they were being carried out by the current. Both swam together for some time, and tried to walk, but they found themselves out of their depths. Witness suggested that they should swim at an angle. He noticed Simpson going into the water, and went to the beach in search of a rope. Later he found Simpson in an exhausted state, and he assisted him out. Witness tied the rope round himself and went out for Cox, who collapsed as he reached him. Cox was very weak when he got to him. Witness did not remember anything more except that he came on to the beach. Cox was the last to see Baker, who by this time had disappeared. There were two other men on the beach in bathing costumes, who assisted a girl to hold the rope, but after they got out of their depths they went away, and the girl, whose name was Sheila Neilson, was left to do the best she could with the rope. She was up to her shoulders in water. All the bathers were more or less in difficulties. Witness did not realise the current was so strong until he attempted to get out.
Robert Nelson Cox, a dental student, in his version of the happenings, said he caught hold of Baker by one hand, but owing to the current and his weight he could not keep him above water. After swimming a little way his feet just touched the edge of a sand bank, but a breaker separated Baker and witness. The undercurrent also helped to drag him into a deep hole near the sand bank. That was the last he saw of deceased. Wootton brought witness to shore. He had not bathed there before. Simpson was the best swimmer of the party.
James David McKewen, a salesman, said he saw two men apparently in trouble, but he found that Cox was all right, so he turned to assist Simpson with Baker. Simpson and witness swam with Baker for about fifteen minutes, but Baker showed no signs of life during that time. Witness suggested to Simpson that he should get a rope, as he was the fastest swimmer. They swam for a time, but a breaker separated witness from Baker and Cox. He eventually reached both of them again in 5ft of water, and in the trough of a wave they touched bottom, but another wave came and increased the depth by 2ft. Baker then disappeared.
John Eric Green said he thought the other members of the party were out too far, and he called to them, but could not make them hear. Witness and Bernard Cox went for a run along the beach before there was any suggestion that anything was wrong, and when they arrived back they found a girl hanging to the end of a rope. She stated that she had asked some men to assist her, but they had refused. A man named Stone, who was not a member of their party, assisted in the rescue operations. Some of the other men, however, had not made any effort to assist the girl with the rope, as there was plenty of slack rope behind her
The Coroner: It would have been all right if they had assisted with the rope, even if they could not swim.
Witness: Yes.
Bernard Glenny Cox stated that he had assisted in helping his brother to the shore. He then discovered that Baker was out in the breakers, but was told that nothing could be done then.
“This is one of the sad fatalities that will happen from time to time,” commented the coroner, “and only emphasises that this beach is a dangerous one, particularly for good swimmers.” The coroner pointed out that there had been several fatalities at this spot in recent years, all the victims being good swimmers. This was due to the fact that a swimmer was tempted to go out too far, whilst a non-swimmer only paddled about.
The Coroner referred to the attempts that had been made by members of the party to rescue the deceased. “I would like to commend their great efforts,” he said. ‘‘They conducted themselves bravely indeed, and carried on until the limits of exhaustion. I would like to commend in particular the activities of the young woman who assisted in the operations with the water up to her shoulders.”
“The only unpleasant feature,” added the coroner, “was the fact that some of the bystanders had not given much assistance. It is not very pleasing to record this fact,” he said. “It is very regrettable that although a girl is seen to be standing up to her shoulders in water holding a rope with three men at the other end of it, nothing was done by some of the bystanders.”
A verdict was returned to the effort that deceased met his death by being accidentally drowned on November 7 last. -Evening Star, 6/12/1926.
No comments:
Post a Comment