Bathing Fatality at Rarotonga
pp. 55-56 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent
Rarotonga, Jan. 26.
ON January 6, Charles Owen Hodgins, dentist, sank suddenly whilst swim ming off the wharf at Avarua.
Being in the lunch hour, few people were about at the time, and the alarm was Jirst given by some children who ob served that the man did not reappear.
Attracting the attention of a couple of native fishermen, the children pointed out Mr. Hodgins’ body, close to the wooden piles of the wharf, where the water is ten or twelve feet deep. Later, a rope was passed under the unfortunate man and the body drawn to the surface, where all attempts at artificial respiration proved useless.
Mr. Hodgins, who was 47 years of age, had been in Rarotonga a little over two years, and his death robs the island of one of its most needed men. An ex-sol dier, he served during the War as Staff Sergeant in the Dental Corps, A.E.F.
M. Paul Vois, who returned with his wife and daughter in January from a visit to France, sailed for Noumea early in February. Madame Vois and her daughter have gone on to Victoria for a few weeks before continuing their jour ney to New Caledonia.
Mr. W. R. B. Thomas, popular wireless operator for Amalgamated Wireless (A/sia) Ltd, at Rabaul, returned to New Britain after furlough by the Macdhui on January 30.