Punctures Main Hazard Of River Voyage On Raft

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28473, 31 December 1957, Page 3

Punctures Main Hazard Of River Voyage On Raft

(New Zealand Press Association)

WANGANUI, December 30. Punctures have held up the 50-year-old Aucklander, Mr Fred Cookson, who is trying to navigate the Wanganui river on ■> home-made raft. Early on, he found the .aft was not sufficiently buoyant and attacked six inner tubes to it. This helped the problem but repeated punctures are still slowing him down. Canoeists who have seen Mr Cookson doubt that he will complete the down-river trip. “He’s got a couple of bamboo poles and an old tea chest” said a member of

one party. “It didn’t look too solid to me.” Mr Cookson is expected to check in at Pipiriki within the next day or so. A party of 90 odd boy scouts have been making good progress and have reached Kirikirioa, about 30 miles down the river. They are keeping in radio communication with Wanganui and are due at Pipiriki on New Year’s Day. About 20 canoeists arrived at Pipiriki over the week-end. They reported that the weather has been reasonably good and the river easily navigable. Because of the isolation of the upper reaches, it is difficult to follow the progress of most of the parties. Reports from canoeists who have arrived at Pipiriki,, however, indicate that most are making fairly good time.