ANGLERS MAROONED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 140, 26 March 1935, Page 3

ANGLERS MAROONED

NIGHT ON AN ISLAND. UNABLE TO CROSS RAKAIA RIVER. (Special to the " Guardian.") CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Cut off by the rapid rise of flood waters four men were marooned on a large island at the mouth of the Hakaia River on Sunday afternoon and were forced to spend the night under most uncomfortable circumstances. It was only yesterday afternoon that they reached the mainland safely after considerable anxiety had been felt following the news that they were missing. The members of the party who were tripped by the river were Messrs T. and F. Langton and P. Mathews, of Christchurch, and C. F. Reeves, of Wellington. A shooting party consisting of the marooned men and Mr H. Rowlands, left Christchurch at 5 o'clock on Sunday morning for the mouth of the Rakaia. They forded the river at the huts to reach the island, which is three miles long and is 7000 acres in area. After spending the day shooting they returned to the spit where they had crossed the river, but found that the water had risen several feet, making the return trip very dangerous. Too Dangerous, for Boats. Mr Rowlands decided to attempt the crossing clad in shorts and carrying the remainder of his cltohes in a valise. After three efforts to reach the mainland he was finally successful. He then endeavoured to procure a boat in which to convey the other members oi the party from the island, but found that most of the huts were unoccupied and, where boats were available, it was considered that the state of the river was too dangerous to launch them. Mr Rowlands was then taken to Southbridge by a motorist and spent the night there, coming on to Christchurch yesterday! morning. It is stated that he was told at Southbridge that the river would fall rapidly, and that the rescue of his companions could be effected with little delay. In the meantime the four men, not knowing that the Ford Brothers' homestead was situated on the island spent a considerable time wandering through the scrub in search of shelter. Their relatives did not know of their whereabouts and were considerably perturbed, while the men themselves felt anxious concerning the safety of Mr Rowlands.

After several hours wandering through broken country the men came upon a deserted tent where they found sufficient cover to shelter them for the night. Two of them, in particular, suffered from the exposed, position in which they were compelled to shelter. Too Deep to Ford. Yesterday morning Mr Stokes made an attempt to cross to the island in a twenty-foot launch, but found the task impossible as the waters were still high. Indeed the flood was so great that the usual crossing at Dobbin's Ford could not be made even on horseback. Later in the day the flood had subsided and the outlook for the trapped men was more hopeful. Once more they began to search for help, and after several hours came upon a shepherd employed by Ford Brothers. The shepherd secured a dray and after some considerably difficulty the men were transported to the mainland. The crossing was not without danger, for at times the water was running over the floor boards of the dray.