FIVE IN A DINGHY

Hokitika Guardian, 19 February 1927, Page 2

FIVE IN A DINGHY

I A TIMARU ANTI-CLIMAX TIMARU, Feb. I<- ' Frantic signals from a small boa 1 well outside the harbour drew a larg crowd to the waterfront late yester f dav afternoon. At 4 p.m. a fierc f gale 1 came up from the soutli-wes quarter, scattering cloiuds of dusf j through the streets anil whipping til harbour water into foam. P Five excursionists who wore "ttl - the Tomuka District High School pic - ilie. had chartered a small dinghy, ani t while sculling about the calm water , were caught liy the wind and Mowi r out past the moles. The party, com ; prised three ladies and two men. Thei - names were as follows:—Misses N t Gale, C. Carter, and N. King, am , Messrs T. Waaka and T. Paiki. For some time tlieir struggles wer ! watched by a large and anxious crowd consisting of the picnickers and man; I townspeople and seafarers, who oongre 5 gated on the wharves. From time t< - time Paiki was seen to he signalling - from the stern of the boat, and hi - was answered by the Harbour Board i dredge, which was operating outsidi the harbour. A report spread thrd the party was in great danger of beiiif drowned, and the Harbour Board f launch Elsie Evans, under the command of the Harbourmaster. Captair MacDougall, put out to give assistance By this time a heavy sea was riinninp and the gale was increasing in force ‘The dredge was seen to heave to neat the rocking dinghy, and eventually pick up the party by means of a Jacob’s ladder. As she pulled in to the wharf, the crowd swarmed to the ship’s side and congratulated the partyon their narrow escape, while the Elsie Evans chugged her way hack- to her moorings with a dripping captain and crew. ] was only practising my old art of signalling,” Paiki t.» the Tinuiru representative of The Press, who asked him for his story when lie was safely landed. “I signalled to the dredge to take us aboard for afternoon tea.” lie said, “and tbe dredge replied that tea was off, but we were welcome to come aboard. The water and wind liecanie pretty rough though, and I can quite understand that people thought we were in danger. There’s no doubt things were solid for a while.” he added. with a large smile. The crowd gradually- drifted away, and the Temuka piimicki'rs gatillered up their nearly lost ones and escorted them to the return train which left a few minutes later. As it turned out, the spectators were much more concerned than the people who caused the temporarv sensation.