A MAORI DROWNED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19445, 3 November 1925, Page 7

A MAORI DROWNED

TRAGIC END TO PICNIC HEROIC WORK BY BOYS. LIVES SAVED AFTER BIG STRUGGLE. [Per Press Association.] TAURANGA. Nov. 2. An accident at Matakana Island, resulting in the drowning of one Maori, was a tragic end to a native picnic yesterday. After dinner eight natives left one part of the island for another. They had to cross a deep channel nearly a mile wide at high tide. Except the deceased, tho party were all young, between nine and twenty. A small dinghy six feet six inches long was used. It made two trips. On returning about six o’clock the whole party crowded into the cockleshell. The wind was against the tide, making [a choppy sea. About half way across, [some alarm was felt as to the safety of the craft, and two agreed to get out and swim. Tn doing so the boat capI sized, but did not sink.

Deceased struck out for the shore but failed to reach it. Two girls clung to the boat. A native lad, Hipirini, 17 [years of age, succeeded in undressing. He took the rope in his teeth and after half an hour’s struggle towed the boat to shallow water. All three were much exhausted. A man from the shore, William Wright, meantime got out to Hipirini and got tho three ashore.

Another occupant, Tini Tawhiti, aged sixteen years, pluckily saved a brother, aged nine years, after a long swim with the little lad on one arm. Two other girls in the boat were good swimmers and swam ashore. The body has not been recovered.