BATTLING AGAINST GALE

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 274, 14 August 1924, Page 7

BATTLING AGAINST GALE

LAST SEEN OF RIPPLE STATEMENT BY WAIKAWA’S CAPTAIN “DIFFICULT TO IMAGINE A WORSE NIGHT” Br Tm.i:Gi’.A.rii.— Special Rei*oete«. Auckland, August 13. Tho last vessel to see the Ripple before she camo to grief nsrth of Capo I’alliser was the Union Steam Ship Company’s large cargo steamer Waikawa. which left Wellington a short distance behind tho ill-fated coaster on Thursday evening, l’ho master of the Waikawa. Captain A. H. .Davey, who left his ship at New Plymouth, arrived at Auckland yesterday morning by rail. He stated that ho was only a short distance behind the Ripple, both standing out in tho fierce gale to get well clear of tho land, and making only about a milo an hour. “It "would be difficult to imagine a worse night,” said Captain Davey, “although we could see the Ripple’s lights between 'the squalls. Most masters travelling up the East Coast past Cape Palliser give the land a wide berth, and on this occasion the Rinnle was standing out further than usual to get well clear. After battling for an hour or two tho Ripple went tn the east and wo headed through the. Strait. If she had broken down an hour later, she would m all Probability have been fairly sale, although there would have been the risk ot goin°r ashore about Castlepoint. . Captain Davey ventured the opinion that the Ripple did not founder m open water, but touched the rocks and so came to grief. He was also ot opinion that even if the Ripplo h.aa r neen lit ted with wireless and no had received her signal, he could not have rendered assistance, for had he been alongside her it would have been suicidal to nut a boat over, as no small boat could have lived in the sea.

MORE LIFE-BELTS RECOVERED Advice received by Inspector D. J. Cummings yesterday stated that tne constable stationed at Pongaro* had recovered three lifebelts at the mouth of the Aolianga River. The message added that tho search was proceeding.