WEST COAST TRAGEDY

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 48

WEST COAST TRAGEDY

PROSPECTOR LOSES HIS LIFE DROWNED IN HOLLYFORD RIVER. News~was received in Queenstown on Wednesday of a drowning accident which occurred in the lower Hollyford River, West Coast, on June 11 last, the victim of the fatality being Alfred Edward Wade, of Wairarapa, who, with a mate, Stanley Shaw, had been prospecting for gold in the hinterland of Wakatipu for some weeks past. Shaw, who made the 80 mile journey from the Coast to Elfin Bay in order to inform the police, arrived at the homestead of Mr George Shaw on Sunday night, and on Wednesday night lie came on to Queenstown. In an interview Air Shaw, who bails from the King Country, stated that being out of employment he and Wade decided to come south for the purpose of doing some prospecting in this district and at the West Coast, Wade having had some experience of the kind in Collingwood. Arriving in Queenstown, they left for the Head of the Lake on March 8 Ifist. Some time was spent fossicking in the Rees and Dart Valleys

and then they decided to cross over the Lake Harris Saddle to Big Bay, on the West Coast, where their stores had been landed by the steamer Matai. Their objective was then what is known as Madagascar Beach, which lies between Martin’s Bay and Milford Sound, as they had been led to believe that rich finds of gold had been made in this locality. Packing their stores on their backs, they set out from Big Bay to Martins, eventually reaching “ Daveys,” whence they made for the homestead on the property at Martin’s Bay, formerly owned by Messis Hugh and Malcolm Mackenzie, and now held by Mr D. J. Gunn, of Oamaru. Close to this locality is Lake M‘Kerrow, into the top end of which the Upper Hollyford River empties and out of which the Lower Hollyford runs for about four miles till it reaches the sea. On the north or homestead side of the latter river' is the boatshed, where is housed the boat used for crossing the river. The two men rowed over in tliis on June 3, and, having landed their stores on the other side, Wade took the boat “back, and replaced it in the shed. He then made a raft, stripped off, put his clothes on the raft, and swam across again to Shaw, towing the raft. An entry in Wade’s diary makes mention of the fact that though he was a powerful swimmer, he had a close call,' as he found the current very strong. The distance across would be about 200 yards. The two men then continued their journey on foot as' far as Kaipo Bay,