DROWNING FEARED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 243, 13 October 1936, Page 5

DROWNING FEARED.

MOTOR CAR IN RIVER.

NO SIGN OF OCCUPANTS. DISCOVERY BY POLICE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WAll?OA (H. 8.), Monday. Evidence of a miSliap, possibly wit fatal results, having occurred nea Matai bridge, about lo miles froi Wairoa,' has been received by th police, who to-day recovered from th Wair.ti River at this spot a seda motor car. When it was hauled aslior two doors were open, and it is feare that 'at least two men, and possibl others, have lost their lives. At present the vhoie affair is ; mystery. The ownership of the moto car has been traced to Mr. Paul Willi tana, a Maori labourer, of Tuai, o whom no trace lias yet been found. l)e tails so far are meagre, but the- polic have learned that Mr. Winitana lef Wairoa early 011 Saturday evening t< return to Tuai, and that he had <111 other man in the motor car with him The proprietor of a service station Mr. S. Deacon, was speaking to Mr Winitana. who said he had some other; to pick up on the road. It is feared that the motor car, whei approaching Matai Bridge, struck a tele graph post and fell over the bank betweei Soft and 40ft into a very deep hole it the river. Nothing further was heard ol the vehicle until about 0.30 last evening when it was learned that a man had seen a canvas bag floating 011 the river He immediately reported this to the police, who had visited the river during the day making a search for Mr. Robert Templeton, who had been missing foi over a week. Car Completely Submerged. When news of the floating bag. was received Constables Gatehouse, McAlpine and Matches returned to the spot and began to search. Sir. Tcmpleton's body was located, but efforts to reach it were unsuccessful. The motor car was discovered, completely submerged in deep water. Several efforts were', made to get a line 011 to it, but at about 11 o'clock the constables were compelled to give tip their efforts temporarily and return to town. The police again left for the scene at daybreak this morning and recovered Sir. Templeton's body. Further efforts were then made to recover the motor •car, and after several hours!' hard work, in which the police were assisted by a number of Artlkeen settlers, the vehicle was brought ashore. It was then found that two of its doors were open, but there was 110 sign of Mr. Winitana or any passengers. Dragging was continued, without result. Inquiries revealed that Sir. Winitana had not returned to Tuai, and that nothing had been seen of him since Saturday. The police returned to Wairoa this afternoon, but the search is to be continued.