FOUR MAORIS DROWNED
TRAGEDY AT RUAWAI PUNT UPSETS CROSSING RIVER FAMILY’S TRIPLE BEREAVEMENT. HEAVY SQUALL CAUSES ACCIDENT. Four Maoris were drowned in the Whakapirau River, near Ruawai, last night. They were: James Anderson, married, aged 24 residing at Batley. Manahau Manakau, widower, about 28, residing at Waihana. Miss Kelly-Edwards, 16 years, of Naumai, Ruawai district. Miss Mereana Waipouri, single, aged 23, of Matakohe.
After a Maori land meeting at Waihana a punt was engaged to take a party of seven Maoris across the Whakapirau River, which at this point is about 500 yards wide. A high wind was blowing, and when half the distance had been cov-. ered a heavy squall upset the boat, with the* result that all the occupants were thrown into the icy water. The accident occurred at 6.40 p.m., and in the darkness rescue work was almost impossible. Three of the Maoris succeeded in winning to the bank. i ~
The j bodies of the two men have been recovered, and police from Ruawai and Maungaturoto are searching for the others. . Miss Edwards was the elder sister of the two girls who were drowned in the Northern Wairoa River in April last.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19350613.2.44
Bibliographic details
Northern Advocate, 13 June 1935, Page 6
Word Count
195FOUR MAORIS DROWNED Northern Advocate, 13 June 1935, Page 6
Using This Item
NZME is the copyright owner for the Northern Advocate. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence . This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of NZME. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in