SMALL BOAT CAPSIZES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10812, 31 January 1921, Page 5

SMALL BOAT CAPSIZES

TRACEDY AT CASTLEPSINtI FOUR MASTERTON RESIDENTS LOST. FATAL FISHING' EXCURSION. (By Telegraph—Special to “Times.”) ’ MASTERTON, January 30. The police at Masterton received information this morning from the light-house-keeper at Oastiepoint. that a beat contaaning four Masterton residents — Ivan O’Connor, Harry Wooding, Clar- 1 dice Hopkins and Biggs—had capsized ■ off Oastiepoint. It was raining and a heavy sea was on ait the time. The 1 upturned, boat gradually drifted out of sight with the lour men clinging to it. About one o’clock the boat was seen being driven towards Mataikona, but on aacount of the mist it was hard to tell whether all the men were still , clinging to the boat. The Masterton police got into touch with Wellington, ■ Naipier., and other places along the East Coast, with the object of Obtaining assistance to go to the rescue of the men. The steamer Ripple was due along the coast from Wellington to-day. but had not been seen up till this afternoon by tho lighthouse-keeper a.t Castlepoint. The men had been fishing off Castlcpoint when tho boat caipsized. The four men wore all married, and well-known, and highly respected in Masterton. Ivan O’Connor was a prominent footballer and cricketer. Some years ago hei was a member of the famous Albion team of Masterton, and a Waijranafpa Thursday representative player, being one of the best half backs Waararapa has had. Hopkins was manager of a Masterton dairy factory; Wooding was in business as a carrier, and was a well-known pigeon shot; and Biggs was also in business in Masterton,. and a short time ago had a brother killed in a motor accident. Oastiepoint is a. settlement thirty miles from Masterton, and 108 miles from Wellington, lying on the sea. coast. A heavy westerly gale and heavy rain have been raging in the Wairaaapa since yesterday afternoon. The Superintendent of Police, Mr S. P. Norwood, received telegraphic advice yesterday corroborating the above information, and adding that Constable Berthelsen is searching along the coast for signs of the missing men. _ He reported from Mataknna that his quest had so far been fruitless. Mr B. W. Millier, assistant-Secretary of the Marine Department, on being notified of the predicament of the missing party, gave instructions to have tlie coastal steamer Ripple signalled to from Castlepoint to keep a look-out for the small boat. It was. feared, however, that thb Ripple, owing to heavy weather, would pass too far off the land to get, in touch with her.