KETCH WATERLILY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 31, 7 February 1933, Page 3

KETCH WATERLILY.

TWO OF CREW RETURNING.

BOAT STILL IN ELLICE GROUP.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Monday.

Two menibera of the crew of the auxiliary ketch Waterlily, which left New Zealand ten months ago to cruise in the Pacific, are now on their way back to the Dominion, having left the ' yacht at Funafuti, in the Ellice Islands. They aro Messrs. J. K. Atkinson and P. A. M. Williams. This information was received recently by wireless from Funafuti by Mr. F. J. Parson, father of Mr. F. St. >T. Parson, one of the members of the crew who is still aboard the vessel. The other two men still 011 the "Waterlily are Messrs. W. J. Harris and E. S. Gerard. At present the Waterlily is lying at Funafuti, having returned there recently from another island of the Ellice group, Nukufetau, where the crew has spent a' o-ood deal of time, having visited it twice. Shortly they intend to sail for Vaitapu,. in the Gilbert group, planning to return again to Funafuti after about three weeks. / _ Funafdti, which is in the centre-, ot the Ellice group, lies about 700 miles almost due north of Suva, in Fiji. It is visited bv shipping only rarely, the vessels touching there most frequently beino- the London Missionary Society s schooner John Williams V., and the Government steamer belonging to the Vv estern Pacific High Commission. It is probable that Messrs. Williams and Atkinson will return to Fiji on one of these veseels and come on to New Zealand on ono of the trans-Pacific mail steamers. Tir , The Gilbert group, which the Waterlilv is about to visit, lies about 500 miles north by west of the Ellice group and extends'for about 200 miles on each side of the equator.

The House of Commons always assembles on Tuesday for a new session. In 1790 it -was proposed to make Monday the day for reassembling, but a Sabbatarian scruple was raised by William Wilberforce, who pointed out that that would mean Sunday travelling to town for many members.