STOLEN YACHT

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 12, 14 July 1922, Page 7

STOLEN YACHT

CONFESSION OF CULPRITS

A REMARKABLE STORY

TRYING EXPERIENCES OFF ; QUEENSLAND COAST.

(UNWKD PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPIMOHT.) (Received July 14, 11.30 a.m.)

BRISBANE, This Day.

Westlake, Mills, and Smith,, charged at the Rockhampton Court with the theft of the yacht Raata (Oneata) from Auckland, confessed their guilt. On two charges, of stealing the yacht and of stealing the provisions and stores, they were remanded to Brisbane to await the arrival of a police escort from New Zealand. - ,

A statement signed by Mills, produced in the Court, stated that he joined the Eaata at Weatlake's invitation, and Smith afterwards joined her. The yacht was repainted after ■ leaving Auckland. They went to Whitianga,, in Mercury Bay, where they robbed a store and secured a, stock of provisions, clothing, and tobacco. Westlake then told his companions that he had stolen the yacht and intended to sail'to South America and engage in fishing.

The police gave evidence that "Westlake first refused to give them a. statement, but r afterwards made verbal statements, taking the whole of the blame on himself. He added that if he had not taken the yacht off the New Zealand coast they could not have done anything to him, as he had her leased for two years.

Westlake, in his statement, said that he had been at sea since the age of thirteen. Describing the voyage from Auckland,, he said the most thrilling part was a couple of days spent in the Great Barrier Reef. They were in the .greatest danger, as they had only to get a touch to go to the bottom. He kept both his companions on deck for thirteen hours, afternoon and night, tacking about in different directions to avoid the reefs. At 2 o'clock in the morning Mills was exhausted, and had to turn in. The others kept on deck until daylight, and' then had a hurried meal in the cabin and returned to the deck. At daybreak they passed a reef twenty feet astern, and saw another three hundred yards to windward. Throughout the day there was nothing but ceaseless watching, and in the afternoon they just missed striking a reef eijjht miles in extent. After being forty-eight hours without sleep, they negotiated the remaining reefs.