FATAL VENTURE

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 88, 9 April 1934, Page 5

FATAL VENTURE

In Flat-Bottomed Boat CAPSIZES AT MOUTH OP RIVER THREE MEN DROWNED (Per Press Association) WANGANUI, Last. Night. The capsize of a flat-bottomed boat off the mouth of the Waitotara river some time between Thursday and midnight on Saturday has resulted in the loss of three lives, one European, and two Natives —Thomas Alexander McLean, single, aged Maketu Wereta, married, aged about 38, and Harold Kakaraia ,aged about 20. all of Dnipuka Pa, Waitateara. On a journey from Wanganui to Paton. on Friday the coastal vessel Kapuni, in charge of Captain William McKinnon, discovered a flat-bottomed boat floating bottom up four miles to sen off the mouth of the Waitotara river. The boat, which is nearly 14 feet long, was taken to Patea and handed to the Customs officials, its discovery leading to investigations which revealed that Mr McLean and the two Maoris had proceeded to the mouth of the river on Thursday and had not returned.

Tt was a. usual practice of theirs to leave the pa on periodical fishing trips of this nature, camping at the river mouth to take advantage of the favourable tides, and no anxjety would be felt if they did not return for some days. A search party was organised under the direction of Constable Skinner, of Waitotara, and. at midnight on Saturday the body of Mr McLean was found washed ashore near the mouth of the river. The bodies of the two Maoris have not yet been discovered, and the search at various points along the coastline is continuing. Mr McLean, who has a brother residing in Wellington, was bom in Taihape in 1899. He enlisted when 16 and went overseas with the 32nd Reinforcements, winning the Military Medal.