RAFT DISCOVERED

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21362, 5 March 1941, Page 7

RAFT DISCOVERED

MISSING FROM HAWERA COUPLE BLOWN TO SEA (By Telegrapli.—Press Association) WANGANUI, Tuesday A raft which answers the description of that on which- a young Hawera couple, Mr and Mrs C. Oakes, were blown to sea from Ohawe, Taranaki, on the evening of January 27, has been washed up at Waitotara. The discovery was made by Mr C. C. ' Hodgetts, Station Road, Waitotara. j. who reported it to the police. The raft was found three-quarters of a mile inside the mouth of the J Waitotara River, and although it is without oil drums, its dimensions are t the same as the raft on which Mr 7 and Mrs Oakes were last seen. ConL ' firmation of its identity is awaited 1 from the Hawera police, to whom advice of the discovery has been com- - municated. - Fishing Enthusiasts 1 Both Mr and Mrs Oakes were fishs ing enthusiasts, with some knowledge - of various types of sea craft. Mr ? Oakes built a raft with the idea of 3 using it as a platform from which to . fish at a safe anchorage within rear sonable distance of the shore at ’ Ohawe. He used two oblong airtight 2 drums to give buoyancy to the 3 wooden portion of the raft, which was about 6ft in length and 4ft in , width, and to which were secured ’ outrigger bars. The oil drums were ' attached as floats at the ends of the ’ bars. p The initial launching took place on the evening of January 27 against advice of people on the beach who questioned the wisdom of the action ’ in view of the weather. In half an : hour the raft moved nearly a mile * out to sea. Mr and Mrs Oakes were - last seen paddling strenuously but - losing ground rapidly in the drift out to sea.