WATERS STILL MISSING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1927, Page 10

WATERS STILL MISSING.

SURVIVORS MISS ONE ANOTHER. EACH THINKS THE OTHER DROWNED. JOYFUL MEETING OF FATHER AND SON. (By Telegraph—Special to "Star.") HELENSVILLE, this day. Up to an early hour this afternoon the search for Mr. L. Waters, the missing member of the crew of the launch Mercia, had not been successful, and little hope is now entertained that he will be found alive. A thorough search has been made of the South Head and the country over which the missing man would have wandered presuming that he reached the shore alive. Constable Hunt, of Helensville, is in charge of the search party.

It is believed that after the Mercia struck when her engines failed, the succeeding roller crashed on top, carrying away the cabin top and some other fittings, and washing Mr. Olliver, senior, and Mr. Waters ovef the side. The weather at the time of the accident was tine, but a strong south-east wind that had been blowing, had worked up a fairly heavy sea. The entrance to the channel on the South Head side is an extremely treacherous one, the current between "the shoals being very swift.

As the tide was running in at the time the launch was carried further inshore after she struck, and eventually she cajpe ashore on to the beach. Had the mishap occurred midway between the South and the North Heads it is more than likely she would have been carried out to sea, and that no lives would have been saved.

The missing man Waters was a powerful swimmer, and it is surmised that lie was struck by the cabin top or some other piece of wreckage. When Mr. Oliver, senior, succeeded in Teaching the main homestead of the Buckland Station at the South Head, he

told his sad tale and reported that he was the sole survivor, as he believed that his two sons and the other two members of the crcw had been lost in the breakers, for he believed the launch had foundered after striking. In the meantime, however, the two sons and Mr. Hipkins had managed to make the shore after battling with the waves, and they trudged inland until they came to another homestead on the Buckland station, about seven miles

away from the main station. They thought the rest of the crew had been drowned and reported so when they told their story. When the main homestead was advised of the arrival of the three shipwrecked men the fact that Mr. Oliver had come ashore and was there, was sent back and the rejoicings of the father and his two sons may be imagined, though the news that Mr. Waters was still missing, diminished their joy.

It is understood here, that the launch may be salved as she is not in a very bad position, provided the weather holds.