ALL HANDS SAVED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21686, 21 January 1936, Page 10

ALL HANDS SAVED

——♦ WRECK OF LAUNCH OFF - SAMOA RESCUE BY HAURAKI r~ (PRESS ASSOCIATION TIIJEGBAM.) WELLINGTON, January 20. Although 16 natives were reported to have been drowned when the mail launch from Apia sank, a wireless message received this morning stated that the Hauraki had picked up all hands. A message received at 1.36 a.m. today from Apia radio, however, states: •'With reference to the Tiafau disaster which occurred on Friday, we are now very pleased to report that the steamer Hauraki picked up all the passengers and crew at 3 o'clock this morning. They were still clinging to the wreck, to which they were tied with ropes. All lives are now saved. The master of the Hauraki states that - the Tiafau was on the verge of breaking up and it was impossible to salvage the mails. "Will report details of mails lost , later." SUBMERGED LAUNCH SIGHTED HOPE ALMOST RELINQUISHED (UMITZD-FUSS ASSOCIATION —COPHJQBT.) APIA, January 19. The Hauraki brought the passengers from the launch Tiafau to port this morning. When she sailed on Saturday evening for Vancouver, Captain Reid was instructed to search the straits between Upolu and Utuila for the missing launch. Later, four of the crew and passengers of the Tiafau arrived from Aleipata, after rowing all night. Unfortunately the wireless plant at Aleipata was out of commission, the mast and building having been destroyed in a gale. From information received from the survivors of the launch, there appeared to be little hope of saving the rest of the passengers, and Captain Reid &as thus informed by radio and asked to proceed on the voyage. The harbourmaster, Captain McClymont, however, fitted out two launches and was about to go out when a message was received from Captain Reid that he had picked up the survivors. It appears that after changing course and proceeding northward to Vancouver, the Hauraki sighted the submerged Tiafau close by and Captain Reid manoeuvred the vessel fo a position where the passengers could be picked up. It is reported that the third officer and other members of the crew jumped into the water to assist. All •the remaining passengers and the crew were safely picked up but nothing could be done for the launch and she was abandoned. It is expected that she will be a total loss, together with the mails. ISLAND WIRELESS STATION DEMOLISHED BY STORM (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM.) WELLINGTON, January 20. The Postmaster-General advises that he has received the following message from the Apia radio station:—"Word has been received by hand that the wooden building housing the wireless at Aleipata was demolished in the hurricane on Thursday, January 16, and the apparatus was wrecked beyond repair." \ The following message has been received from the Suva radio station:— "The storm is now centred near Southern Dau and is moving faster to the south-west. Apparently it is decreasing in intensity."