North Shore City mayor sends condolences to family
January 20, 2004

North Shore City Mayor George Wood shares his community's sense of shock and sorrow at the tragedy, which unfolded at one of the city's most popular east coast swimming beaches last Friday.

Mr Wood will express the community's condolences to the Robinson family whose two children, Joshua, aged seven, and Christle, 16, drowned while boogie-boarding at Browns Bay beach.

Mr Wood, a former policeman and father of three, has met with current North Shore police area commander, Inspector Mike Hill, to get a briefing on the tragedy.

"Like everyone, I'm shocked by the events of Friday and my thoughts go out to the Robinsons and to the woman who assisted with the rescue, who is now fighting for her life in hospital. This has been a terrible start to the New Year with drownings recorded throughout New Zealand at a rate of about one a day. Water safety is a community issue and one which we must address together," the mayor says.

"The dangers of boogie boards have been cruelly brought close to home and we'll be working closely with police, national water safety experts and the community to help keep our people safe."

George Wood also praised the actions other caring beach-goers who raced to the aid of Joshua Robinson trying desperately to save his life, describing the rescuers as community heroes.

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