RIVER’S VICTIMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 242, 13 October 1936, Page 8

RIVER’S VICTIMS

TRAGEDIES NEAR WAIROA Missing Man’s Body Found A SECOND ACCIDENT SUBMERGED CAR FOUND fl’er Press Aokociaiion j WAIROA, Oct. 12. Evidence of a shocking lataiity having occurred near Matai Bridge, about 15 miles from Wairoa, has been received by the police, who to-day recovered from the Waiau River at this spot a sedan motor-car. When hauled ashore the two aoors of tne car were open and it is feared that at least two men and maybe others nave lost their lives. At present, however, the whole affair is shrouded in mystery. The ownership of the car has been traced to Mr. Paul Winitana, a Maori labourer of Tuai, of whom no trace has yet been found. Details so far are meagre but from various queries made by the police it appears that Winitana left Wairoa early on Saturday evening for the purpose of returning to Tuai and he had another man in the car with him. Mr. S. Deacon, proprietor of a service station, was speaking to Winitana, and he said he had some others to pick up on the road. It is feared that the car, when approaching Matai Bridge, struck a telegraph post and fell over the bank, between 30 and 40 feet in height, into a very deep hole in the river. Nothing further was heard of the car until about 6.30 last everting, when it is reported that a man nameu Preston saw a canvas bag floating on the river. He immediately reported this to the police, who had visited Lhe river during the day, making a search for Robert Templeton, who had been missing for over a week. Immediately on receiving this news Constables Gatel--use, McAlpine and Matches returned to the spot and began to search. The body of Templeton was located, and a man named D. Mitchell swam out into the river in an effort to rescue it. He was unable to accomplish this however, Templeton's body floating down stream, where it became caught up in some willows. The task of the constables was oy no means an easy one. Several efforts were made to get a line on to the car, which was completely submerged, and at about 11 o'clock they were compelled to give up and return to town. At daybreak this morning the police again left for the scene and recovered Templeton’s body. Further efforts were then made to recover the car and after several hours' hard work, in which the police were assisted by several settlers, the car was brought ashore. It was then found that two of its doors were open. There was no sign of Winitana or the passengers. Dragging was continued without any results. Inquiries were instituted and it was found that Winitana had not returned to Tuai and that nothing had been seen of him since Saturday. The police returned to Wairoa this afternoon, but the search is to be continued.