ALFRIEDE STRIKES A REEF.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 214, 6 September 1912, Page 6

ALFRIEDE STRIKES A REEF.

DURING A GALE. STRANDED AT NUKUALOFA. A disquieting radio message, received c by Mrs. Protheroe, of Auckland, a few days ago, from her son at Nukualofa. ( stated briefly that he had got ashore safely from the reef. It was known that Mr. Protheroe had. formerly been connected with the well-known German a D.H.P.G. linn, which has so large inter- 5 est.s in the Friendly Islands, so that it I wa.s feared that it was the company's •' smart little schooner Alfriede which was < in trouble. . ' The arrival of the Union Co.'s Island 1 steamer Atua from Nukualofa this morn- > iug was consequently awaited by those I concerned with moTe than usual interest. 1 A passenger told a " Star " reporter that l on a wild night about a fortnight ago the c Alfriede, en rout from Haapai to Nukua x lofa, was making In towards the latter a port, when, before those aboard were * aware of the proximity of land, the vessel crashed on to one of the outer reefs. Heavy squalls blowing shorewards caused j her to bump heavily on the coral, | Eventually the wind carried her :nio the ( harbour, where she sank in a consider- , able depth of water. Salvage was carried - out some days later, and the Alfriede was , refloated, and was run up on the beach, , where she was lying in a battered con- , diiion when the Atua sailed /or Auck- \ land. i On inquiries being made from Messrs s Rronfeld, local ajreirts for thi- D.H.P.U., | this morning, it was learnt iitrxi niiiil ad- ] viae reaeivod froon Nukualofa stated £ that the Alfriede had 'been stranded on , August I7th, but thai Captain. Anderson bad got the vessel oft" and beached her. ( Instructions were given for a new rudder { to lie built in .Auckland for the schooner, 3 and a quantity of timber was also ordered. Th« Alfriede is a schooner of 40 tom {Trass register. The vessel is \yell-known ] in. Auckland, having beon in port for an i extensive ovechaul during Keibruary and i March last. While in port the .Vlfriede ] was placed on Mr. Chas. Bailey's slip. New masts and rigging were fitted, and ; an up-to-date auxiliary engine installed. . The ov-erhjiul cost a. sum'of £ 1800, so , that the mishap is particularly unfortu- , nate.