THREE LIVES LOST.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 110, 9 April 1934, Page 7

THREE LIVES LOST.

TRAGEDY OFF RIVER MOUTH. CAPSIZED BOAT FOUND. WANGANUI, April 8. The capsize of a flat-bottomed boat off 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 natives. The victims are:— THOMAS ALEXANDER McLEAN, single, 35 years of age. MAKETU WERETA, married, aged about 38.

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 to sea off the mouth of the Waitotara River. The boat, which is nearly 14 feet long, was taken to Patea and handed to the Customs officials.

HAROLD HAKARAIA, aged about 20. All belonged to Ihupuka Pa, Waitotara.

The finding of the boat led to investigations being made, and it was revealed that McLean and the two Maoris had proceeded to the mouth of the river on Thursday and had not returned. It was the usual practice of theirs 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 Wellington, was born at Tailiape in 1899. He enlisted for the Great War when 16 years of age, and went overseas with the 32nd Reinforcements, winning the Military Medal.