FOUR LIVES LOST.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1638, 3 January 1913, Page 5

FOUR LIVES LOST.

Launch capsizes. HOLIDAY TRAGEDY ON THE EAST ' COAST. - BODIES NOT. RECOVERED. (By TolcsTaph.—SuoclaJ Oorrespondonti) ■ Masterton, January 2. . News' reached "M&slertoii« early, 'this niornitig of a sad fatality that: occurred ' at tlio niouth of tho Aolmnga Elver Ou New.. Year's Day. It appears that a party, ■ consisting of Messrs. bum I'otangaroa, jr.Masterton, James Power, junr., Alexander' Duncan, and Alexander M'Kehzio (the last; two being tivo fcuotis, working, bt, Akitio Station), left Aohanga in ' an oiL launch owned by Mr. Pbtangafon,- and which it was proposed to bring to Ma6t£i\ : ton by way of Castlepoint. Mr. I'ota/ ligaroa had promised tho lisb df'tlie lAunch for tho Masterton Park lake, and went Uj about Christmas tini© to. procure it. . . Il'ho; party, it is boliovoa,'left Aohangs " foi | Castlepoint early in; tho morning,'and thlit when they reached tha mouth of th« river tho launch was '6waniped, and ill octmpants drqiyned. . ; , i; ' ,'i'. Tho launch, whlok was 18ft! long, with - o speed of from '■twelve' to fourteen knots, ' was found early this morning,' on th<j . ' beij.ch, .bottom, upwards.... .Search partioi •, wore immcdiatiily; stint' oilt,' but «)> till to- i night thet Ijodics! had not been recoveied.' | Both Mr. Potangftroa. and' Mr. Power s frere strong swiinmers, hrid it.tt presumed , , ' thatthey lost;their lives in trying to eayo y their epmpanions. l : The;ilftl».-.llri Pita- '•$ j tighroa Svas about forty years bf 'agi, nnd '' M married. His'first wife was drow ned 1 at-"" : Castlepoint two or three years ago. His widow was a sister of Mrs. AV. H. Denby, , of Lahsdowne:> 'Thero ar6 four children,".' The .late Mr., I'otangaroa had resitted ihfMasterton. for many years,.and was a; ■ eon of Mr. Sam Potftngaroa,'d : well'Enowii Wairarajia Native-chief; . His had boon r engaged in tho printing. business, in Mas- i terton' in his early yeans,, and vms latterly , in partnership,with t MiV'W, H,' Dftubyi'.ln; , the WaippuajDurscries. . Ho, was a capable i athlfeto, a good mechanic, .Jiatroii of >,•••••. tho Masterton Bowling Club, besides being a, member of ;th« Caledohiail Society and •> tho Masterton bfanch. of. tho. Ovcteea» Club.-, .;.i- • ; Tho lato Mr. James.'Power was :a, son , 'of Mr. Jnmcs Power, of Aohanga, a well- , known liorsomiln, and a brother of Mts. Denby, of' LansdofrnoJ'/' HoMfe, thirty-'! > two _ years of. age, married, and leaves , > a widow alid five cliildroh at AohangA. . 1 . Tho' two othisr, victims'i6f tho'i'ihsalter : appear to have been single mem who had . 1 proposed coining down, with Mr. PotAngiroa to the Caledoriidh Soclctj's gatherihg in Masterton, but had been delayed on : ,• accodnt of tho roughness of tho eea. J: 1 Denby hSdJtiriWelf ■■ oeedihg with tho party to AbhangA "to procure tho oil-laUiiiSh, but Owing to. pri- :, vatq cngafeeinehtg had. been, unablo to get ■ away. ■ -With Mr. Sam I'otangaroa, ■ and a Bon of tlifl late.Mr. Potkngawa,,ho, will jcare by motor'for.ihi) scene of-th«' fatality to-morrow nlorniilir. . >/ *

It was stated ytstordfty that eoratt hops' 1 was cnteriamcd. in Akitio.that.tkoioocu»(« 1 pants of tho, launch might' Imvo been; ■/■ picked up. by tho Kahu, which was pass-v' lng'ddftn tho Doiist/: Oil the' ftrriynl bf thi> ! I£ahu in port i this Morning it. wag. found , thftt those on board had 6cen nothing of tho tragedy, ->>~.- ■.- I