MEN CAUGHT BY FLOOD

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 143, 30 March 1948, Page 2

MEN CAUGHT BY FLOOD

Hescue from Island in Waiau River

HORSES USED AT DAWN YESTERDAY

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Mar. 20 After 13 hours on an island in the middie of the flooded Waiau River, two Christchurch youths, Messrs Peter Maxwell, of 31 Hardy Street, New Brighton, and Ken Smith, of 160 Sea View Road, New Brighton, were rescued at 6 a-m. to-day by two deerstalkers on horses. A rescue attempt made with a breeches buoy and rocket gun failed because the line missed the island by about 15 yards, and the current was running too strongly to make a sec* ond attempt worth while.

The youths left Christchurch on Saturday afternoon with two companions on a deer stalking expedition. They crossed the Waiau River on Sunday morning. On their way back about 3 p.m. they crossed part of the stream, and gained the island, situated about six miles above the Lochie) Ferry bridge, on the Hanmer Springs road. The river was rising rapidly, and realising that it wasi dangerous to cross the main part of the stream they signalled their companions on the road that they. intended to go back and round to Hanmer Springs from the other side. The water was their waist deep, very swift, and rising rapidly. “We decided to stay where we were, rather than risk a crossing,” said Mr Ken Smith this evening. a Wo were dressed in only our trousers and shirts, had no food, and not even a cigarette. We had one oilskin between us. After firing shots to make our friends realise our datffcer —the river had risen about, in an hour—we lit a fire a?’ irwas getting dark, and settled down to> wait. One of us dozed, while the other watched, and we did not .'jleep too well. If the river had risen another couple of feet at its peak, our position would have been most uncomfortable>, with water lapping over the whole of the island.”

Rocket Attempt Not Expected

About 3 o’clock the river began to fall, and by 6 a.m. it had fallen about a foot, he said. They did not expect the rescue attempt by rocket, and could not make themselves heard, or hear (heir rescuers, because of the roar of the river, and tire north-west gale. “We were just settling down to sleep at 6 o’clock when a chap on a horse stuck his head up over our wind break,” said Mr Smith.

“Although we fully realised our danger, we were quite comfortable, and did not suffer from exposure. The only medical aid we required after being rescued was a good wash at the Hanmer Hospital,” he added. The rescue party decided not to make any more ■ attempts from the road side of the river after the first attempt had failed. They went hack to the bridge, and approached from the opposite side of the river. When the marooned youths; were taken off' the island, the river was still up to the horses’ bellies.

Senior-Sergeant J. J. Kearns supervised operations at the Christchurch Police station when the call for help was received about 7.35 p.m. on Sunday. A police patrol car and a Post and Telegraph Department truck with a rocket gun'and rope, arrived about midnight to join the rescue party organised by Constable W. Mather, of Hanmer Springs. The attempt was made shortly afterwards. The river rose a foot by between 12.30 and 1 a.m. Although the rope hit the shingle on the shore of the island, it was quickly whipped away by the racing current.

“Would Have Tried Gun Again”

■“ln daylight, and under conditions where the marooned party could understand what was being done, a lescue with the rocket gun and rope would be comparatively easy,” said Captain A. R. Champion, deputy har-bour-master at Lyttelton, who was in charge of the rocket gun and breeches buoy. “There were no trees on the island, and the only thing we could do was fire over a rope,' let the marooned party drag oyer the breeches buoy, and then haul them back through the water. But we could see that the river was flowing too swfitly, and decided to wait unitl daylight, and try from the opposite side Avith horses. If that had failed, we wovdd have tried the rocket gup again. When Smith and Maxwell saw us leaving they fired off about a dozen shots from their rifles, but. we amid not let them know what Ave intended doing,” he said. Appreciation of the help given by Captain Champion and his staff was expressed by the Superintendent of the Christchurch Police (Mr D. J. O’Neill).