REPORTED TASMAN CROSSING

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27563, 21 January 1955, Page 3

REPORTED TASMAN CROSSING

No Trace Of Ketch In Sydney Harbour

YACHT AND OWNER NOT KNOWN IN NELSON

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) SYDNEY, January 20. A Customs launch unsuccessfully searched Sydney harbour yesterday for the 41ft New Zealand ketch Toahohana which was reported to have reached Sydney from Nelson on Tuesday night. Mr Peter Scott, a 27-year-old rigger, arrived at the Royal Motor Yacht Clubhouse at Point Piper with a story of having completed a 25-day voyage from New Zealand alone, except for a cat. So impressed were club members that they invited Mr Scott inside and entertained him while they listened to his account of his exciting trip. The commodore of the Royal Motor Yacht Squadron (Mr F. G. Lender) lent Mr Scott a tie so that he could comply with the club’s dress regulations. While Customs officials yesterday were searching for the Toahohana which, according to Mr Scott, was moored near Garden Island, quarantine officials were anxious about Mr Scott’s cat. Mr Scott had said that it was in quarantine, but officials said they had not received it. And Mr Lender was anxious about his tie. Nelson Customs and shipping men are as puzzled as Sydney Customs officials over the reported Tasman crossing by the yachtsman, Peter Scott, in the ketch Toahohana, says a Press Association message from Nelson. Neither the Nelson harbourmaster (Captain A. G. Christie) nor any member of his staff has any record of the ketch having left Nelson. The Toahohana was not cleared by the Nelson office of the Customs De-

partment, and neither Mr .Scott nor the ketch is known’in Nelson yachting circles.