The Sad Drowning Affair at the Thames.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 591, 7 April 1891, Page 3

The Sad Drowning Affair at the Thames.

TIU circumstances of the bathing accident at at the Thames, by which two daughters of Mr H. C. Gillespie met their death, were of an interesiing as well as of a most painful nature, Mieses Viva and Leoni Gillespie, with Miss Carpenter, daughter of the Town Clerk of Thames, and two other girls, were picnicking up the Kauaeranga river, and went into the stream to bathe. One of the Gillespies went beyond her depth, and the Other, in trying to give her assistance, also got into a dangerous plight. Miss G irpenter waded out towards her struggling friends, but being unable to swim was nearly being drowned—was only saved in fact, by clinging to her big dog, which had followed her. The faithful creature drew her to the bank, where she was afterwards found in an unconscious condition. The cries of the girls attracted the attention of two young men, but when they arrrived it was too late to do more than dive for the bodies, which were recovered in a few minutes quite lifeless. At the inquest a verdict of Accidental Death was returned, and a rider was added recommending that the County Council put up notices showing certain parts of the river to be dangerous,