Bound For Tahiti

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29748, 15 February 1962, Page 12

Bound For Tahiti

( fil.Z. Press Association) NAPIER, Feb. 14 A swarthy Christchurch marine mechanic, Robert James Rarnett, arrested on board the stolen Lyttelton schooner Kotiti, said when he was landed at Napier • tonight that he had intended to sail the schooner to Tahiti. Barnett and his two companions, Donald Felton and Donald Allen, both of Christchurch, will be charged in the Magistrate’s Court at Napier tomorrow morning with the theft of the schooner from Lyttelton at midnight last Sunday. Barnett told a reporter he planned to sail the schooner to Auckland in seven days. He would have refuelled and taken on fresh supplies and headed for Tahiti. “We thought it would have taken a bit more than a month.” he said. He said he gave up the plans as soon as an R.N.Z.A.F. Devon circled the schooner about 7 o’clock last

night off the Wairarapa coast.

“We realised it was over. That’s why we put up the white flag over the ensign. It was a surrender flag,” he said.

Barnett said he and one of his companions had seafaring experience. He had done some fishing from Christchurch and Bluff after leaving the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Two years ago Barnett took a 150-ton 112-ft Fairmile launch, the Marlin, with 25 passengers aboard, for a tour of the Islands.

He told the reporter he was married with three children.

“Litter Bugs”

War was declared on “litter bugs” at the 39th annual conference of the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture which opened in Palmerston North yesterday. A motion urging that stronger action on a national scale be taken against the dropping of litter in public places, was carried. It was said that local bodies had bylaws to cover the litter dropping but they were not effectively or efficiently enforced.—(PA.)