THE RECENT FATALITIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2929, 29 August 1925, Page 2

THE RECENT FATALITIES.

A weel: has now practically eiapsed since news of the terrible drowning fatality at the Beach reached Foxtoii, and as yet, no trace lias been discovered of three of the victims or the boat, despite the very vigilant search that has been kept up by Constables Owen and Ryan. The beach has been patrolled daily from the Manawatn Heads to Hokio bui without result. The non appearance of the boat has been the cause of considerable discussion. It was anticipated that it would he found on the beach practieally immediately after the accident. One theory advanced in explanation of its disappearance is that if the centre hoard, which is supposed to consist of a piece of iron, weighing approximately 40 llis., was down at the time of: the accident, the boat, after being freed of its passengers, would ride well and he carried out to sea with the ebb tide. The run out would carry the boat to the north and it would subsequently lie carried, well out to sea, down the south const i)v the current. The boat would ride very low in the water alter being swamped, and would bo hard to detect. It is possible that the coming spring tides will throw it up on the south beach somewhere in the vicinity of Otuki.

It will be a fortnight tomorrow since Mrs Withers and her two children lost their lives in the Oroua River as a result of a motor accident and here again no trace has been found of the bodies of the victims, despite continued search by the police and residents.

During the week many rumours have liemi circulated to the ell eel that a body has been seen floating down the Mimawatu River, but in all cases the rumours have been groundless.

Quito a number of dead beasts are at present coining down the Manawatu and these have been the cause of a number of rumours being circulated to the effect that the bodies of the Rangiotu victims have been seen atloat. It is of passing note that in several instances the originators of the rumours have had facilities at hand for making an inspection of the object hut have refrained from doing anything except to cause a rumour to be circulated which has been responsible for considerables inconvenience and waste of time to those engaged in searching for tlie bodies. The local police took a “flattie out fo Rangiotu this morning to assist in the search. It is probable Hint a boat will be rowed down tlic river from Rangiotu to Koxloii next week.