WAITOTARA DROWNING

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 83, 9 April 1934, Page 10

WAITOTARA DROWNING

OVERTURNED BOAT FOUND

ONE BODY RECOVERED

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AVANGANUI, April S,

The capsize of a flat-bottomed boat oil' the mouth of the Waitotara River, some time between Thursday and midnight on Saturday resulted in the loss of three lives, one European and two Maoris.' The. victims arc: — Thomas Alexander McLean, single, 35 years of age. Maketu Wercta, married, aged about 38. " Harold Hakaraia, aged about 20. All belonged to Ihupuka Pa, Waitotara. On the trip from Wanganui to Patea on Friday the coastal vessel Kapuni, in charge of Captain William McKinnon, discovered a flat-bottomed boat floating bottom up four miles out to sea off the mouth'of the Waitotara Eiver. The boat, which is nearly fourteen feet long, was taken to Patea and handed to tho Customs officials.

The finding of the boat led to investigations being inade,»and }t was revealed that McLean and the two Maoris had proceeded to the mouth of the river on Thursday and had not returned. It was their usual practice to leave the pa on periodical fishing trips of this nature, camping at the river mouth to take advantage of favourable tides, and no anxiety would be felt if they did not return for some days.

A search party was organised under the direction of Constable Skinner, of Waitotara, and at midnight on Saturday the body of McLean was found washed ashore near the mouth of the river. The bodies of the two Maoris have not yet been found, and the search at various points along the coastline is continuing.

Mr. McLean, who has.a brother residing at AVcllington, was born at Taihapo in^lß99. He enlisted for the Great AVar when sixteen years of age, and went overseas with the thirty-sec-ond Reinforcements, winning the Military Medal.