Final farewell to three pals

By ALISON HORWOOD

For most New Zealanders, Marc Hill, Richard Kelly and Carl Wilson were the Southland teenagers who went out for takeaways and never came home.

But those who lay them to rest today will remember them as three best mates - Monty, Sticks and Grimmace.

Just a week ago the 18-year-olds were settling in for a night of car-chase videos and test-match rugby when they decided to go for a drive in Richard's new Mazda 323.

Taking a new CD to listen to as they left the Hill family home at Otatara near Invercargill, Marc, an architecture student, called, "See ya Dad, we are going into town. We will be back soon."

That throwaway comment at 7 pm last Saturday was the last thing Allan Hill ever heard his son say. For the following four days three families were left wondering how the strapping young men could simply disappear.

But a chance sighting of two wheels protruding above the Oreti River, 30km from where they vanished, confirmed everyone's worst fears.

Inside the crumpled wreck the heavy-metal CD Sepultura was still inside the stereo and the three frozen teenagers - so inseparable in life - were huddled together in the backseat.

Police said they apparently drove down Wilson's Crossing road and turned down a dirt access road to McCallum Beach on the Oreti River.

About 1km along, a section of the private access road had been washed away over the previous fortnight. The teenagers plunged 2m into the icy, fast-flowing river.

Now, as police investigate the murky legislation surrounding roads and rivers on private land, three families are left wondering why their children travelled in fog and darkness to get to the river.

"I doubt whether anyone will ever know," says Mr Hill.

He says Richard, a trainee horticulturist, and Carl, an apprentice engineer, used to live in the area.

"They may have been returning to their old stomping ground for a wee look."

He does not blame the landowner, Bruce Jordan, for not closing the wiped-out road, but hopes landowners will take action in future if there is a slip.

"We cannot apportion blame; it is not going to bring our boy back."

Brent Davidson, who has coached the trio at the Collegiate Rugby Football Club for two seasons, says the close-knit team were devastated and baffled.

"No one seems to know why they ventured to the river. It was totally out of character. Maybe they just decided to go for a drive."

Police are waiting for toxicology results, but the boys did not appear to have been drinking.

Mr Davidson said the team would form a guard of honour at today's funeral service in the hall at Southland Boys' High School.

"You could not get a nicer bunch of guys - I would have been proud to have them in my family."

Invercargill Detective Sergeant Tim Haughey told the Weekend Herald that part of the police inquiry would focus on legislation surrounding ownership of the road. It was too early to tell if charges would be laid.

Occupational Safety and Health said yesterday that it would not investigate because farmers are not responsible for the safety of those who go on to their property without permission.

Environment Southland general manager Lindsay McKenzie said the river and road were privately owned but the public had been granted limited access to the road through Southland Fish and Game.

Mr Jordon says he agreed to put a sign up on his land saying anglers were welcome.

In summer, up to 40 people gather on the river to fish or picnic - and he is happy about it.

But in winter, Mr Jordon says, people came for one of three reasons: "To nick something, to dump something or do something they shouldn't.

"The deaths of these boys is a tragedy and I really feel sorry for the families.

"But they were trespassing. If they had come and asked me if they could drive down to the river I would have told them 'No'."