Swept Into Rapids

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20493, 9 May 1938, Page 6

Swept Into Rapids

FRANKTON MAN DROWNED TRAGEDY WHILE PIG-SHOOTING BOAT CAPSIZES ON WAIKATO (By Telegraph.—Special to Times.) PUTAIRURU, Monday Tragedy overtook a party of Hamilton men engaged In pig ehootlng In the Taupo district yesterday morning when a boat In whloh two members were crossing the Waikato River at Ongaroto, capsized, and Mr Cyril Hedge (43), married, of Primrose Street, Frankton, was drowned. The party, which conslated oi Messrs Joseph Wlnstanley, of Frankton, Francis William Swetman, of Whatawhata, J. H. Wlnstanley, of Frankton, Walter Bernard Swetman, of Korokonui, John Terry Muller, of Frankton, and the deceased, left Hamilton at 4 a.m-, arriving at Ongaroto ahout 6.30 a.m. A nine-foot Vbottom dinghy was used to cross the Waikato River at a point about four miles below Atiamuri. Mr Joseph Winstanley crossed the river first in the dinghy and then returned for his son, Mr J. H. Winstanley, whom he left on the opposite bank after the pair, had stretched a fencing wire across the river to facilitate further crossings in the dinghy. Mr Winstanley, senior, embarked on the third crossing with Mr Hedge, two dogs, ritles and provisions. He was standing in the bow working the boat across, hand over hand, Mr Hedge being behind him. When they were ahout half-way across, the current caught the dinghy and sw-ung it sideways. Water came in over the back’ and the craft capsized, both deceased and Winstanley being thrown into the current. Mr Winstanley 6truck out for the bank hut was swept to the side where the remaining members of the party were standing. He just managed to reach safety and was pulled out of the water in an exhausted condition. Mr Hedge, who was unable to swim, was swept into the rapids and disappeared. A search was made for a considerable distance down the river but no trace of the body was found and the matter was reported to the police, who are making a further search today.