FISHING FATALITY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20276, 10 April 1934, Page 6

FISHING FATALITY.

Body of European Recovered. MAORIS STILL MISSING. Per Press Association. WANGANUI, April 9. No trace has yet been found of the bodies of the two Maoris, Maketu Were ta and Harold Hakaraia, who were lost as the result of a boating mishap off the mouth of the Waitotara River some time between Thursday and Friday last. The body of Thomas Alexander M’Lean, the third member of the party, was found at midnight on Saturday, and although clad only in a shirt, it is, fairly certain . that he was in the boat at the time of the accident. His scanty attire led to the belief that he might have been engaged in the task of rescuing the other two and had swum from the shore in an attempt to do so. Residents who were well acquainted with the habits of the trio, however, state that it was the practice of M’Lean to put to sea clothed with little more than a shirt. Wereta leaves five children, the eldest of whom is fourteen and Hakaraia one young child. An inquest concerning the death of Thomas Alexander M’Lean was conducted at Waitotara to-day before the acting Coroner, Mr William Simpson, and a jury of four. A verdict of accidental drowning was returned, there being no evidence to show how deceased got into the water. The evidence showed that deceased left Waitotara on Wednesday night to go fishing. The two Maoris followed about mid-day the next day. The clothes of all three were found neatly placed in a rough sort of a camp near the mouth of the river. They had stored nets and other gear there. There was no evidence to show how the mishap occurred, the upturned boat found by the vessel Kapuni being the only indication that they had been out to