HATCH COVERS AND PLANKS FOUND

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 216, 9 June 1936, Page 11

HATCH COVERS AND PLANKS FOUND

Washed Up on East Coast

LARGER OIL PATCH SEEN NEAR PORANGAHAU

Three hatch-cover sections and five planks have been washed up by the sea ou the East Coast of the North Island near Porangahau. They were found at various points along the rough coastline by searchers who have patrolled the shore daily since word was received that rocket signals had been seen on June 1. '

The hatch-cover sections were found ou Sunday. One is 9ft. 7in. in length and 18in. wide. The other two are 9ft. 4in. in length and ISin. wide. Ml have grips made of iron. Of the five planks, some came ashore at Makaramo, near Porangahau, and others at points farther along the coast. The planks at Makaramo are of hardwood and are 14ft. long. The other planks are to be recovered and measured by a party which is going out this morning. The Porangahau postmaster told ’The Dominion” by telephone last night that an increasing number of settlers and others are taking part in the search. Yesterday an oil patch previously reported as having been seen on the water off the coast was found to have increased in size and moved farther south.

Although the searchers are combing the shore very thoroughly, their task is an arduous one, as much of the coastline is wild and rugged. Part of the beach is inaccessible except at low tide, this being in the vicinity of the spot where the yacht Mizpah was wrecked some years ago. The sea on the coast is still rough. Ou June 1 the weather was bad and a very heavy sea was running. Some days previously, on May 26 or May 28, two settlers saw a full-rigged ship moving slowly northward. This is believed to have been the Joseph Conrad, last sighted in Cook Strait on May 20. It was pointed out yesterday by Mr. G. H. Tanner, Assistant Secretary of the Marine Department, that the Joseph Conrad would have been considerably off her course to have reached the position given by the master of the s.s. Kartigi, who on June 1 saw what he believed to bo rocket signals at a position inshore, slightly south of. the Porangahau River. It has been suggested that the ship seen by the settlers might have been a wheat ship bound from Australia. Homeward, but no record can be found of any such vessel likely to be off the New Zealand coast at the present time. IGDRASIL AT BRISBANE Joseph Conrad Not Sighted Brisbane, June 8. Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Strout have arrived in their yacht Igdrasil from New Zealand. t " Mr. Strout said he had not sighted the Joseph Conrad since February, when he passed her off the New Zealand coast. His yacht is equipped with wireless, and he received no reports of disaster. When he was between New zeaianu and Norfolk Islaud Mr. Stroud encountered a cyclone, but he said he doubted whether the Joseph Conrad was in the vicinity at the time.