THE KAITUNA DROWNING CASE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6591, 21 January 1916, Page 6

THE KAITUNA DROWNING CASE.

Locality of the Accident.

Ihe pearcln for the body of Wi Whaitiri, who was drowned in the Kaituna River on Sunday, is still proceeding: (says the Rotorua Times of the 19th inst.). It is proposed to draw a wire net across the lower reaches of the Kaituna so a?, to prevent the body from being; swept into the tidal wters. The deceased was well tc* auaiiifed with the head waters of the Kaitun?, where he used to go for eels which csme up to {he first hi^ falls and no further. The place wheiv tlie accident occurred is peculia.ily difficult of access, and is about two miles below^'thc old fishing stand at the Lagoon. The river runs through a narrow sluice and is closely* held in by high cliffs covered with dense undergrowth. In the caves an,d trees overhanging the narrow channels the shags find an undisturbed home. With the river and lakes aa a feeding-ground the birds fly in and out almost unmolested save for the attentions of a few of the Maoris residing ;.tt aid near Okere. At dusk.- irom a point of vantage on..the hill, hnndrer's of shags could be seen beating their way along the course of the river to their nests. The bush is too difficult to negotiate: after dark ?u t tie rookeries have remained comparatively undisturbed for year?.