CURIOUS HAPPENINGS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 20 February 1925, Page 5

CURIOUS HAPPENINGS.

NEAR, NEWCASTLE HARBOUR

SHIP’S QUEER, ACTION

BY CABLE —PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. SYDNEY, Feb. )!). Inquiries are being made by Federai authorities regarding certain, happenings at Me re wether at a late hour on Sunday night. A news agent at Merewether was called out of bed and asked by a foreign, woman, questions regarding the depth of water ofi Merewether beach, and whether it would be possible to bring a steamer close in. He replied that he knew nothing about such, matters, and the woman departed. . On Tuesday morning the signalmastey at Newcastle sighted a Norwegian steamer, the Havo. coming up from the south, when she suddenly turned, as if to go into Alerewether beach. Fearing the ship had mistaken. the entrance to Newcastle, the harbour -signal,master signalled to “stand off, you are in danger.” The vessel gave no indication of having seen the signals, and she steamed ujT the coast till opposite Nobby s. Thinking possibly that the Havo, being a foreign ship, would not understand the signals, the pilot vessel went out to meet her. When within half a mile, the Havo. still without acknowledging the signals went full isteam ahead and was soon lost to sight up the coast. The Federal Department views the happenings as something requiring the fullest investigation. It is submitted that the steamer, laden, with wheat for Japan as the Havo was, could not afford to waste time in inspection, of the coast line, while the refusal to acknowledge signals cannot be regarded without apprehension.

SUGGESTED TROUBLE WITH CREW. SYDNEY Feb. 19. A theory advanced for the mysterious behaviour'of the steamer Havo is that it was due to a mutinous crew, as when the vessel was in Sydney s'ome of the crew wee.r arrested on a charge of refusing duty, but were allowed to rejoin the vessel, on condition that -they obeyed orders. It is now believed tire ship headed for Newcastle with the threat that some oi the crew would be handed over .to the police, hut that when they gave renewed assurances of better behaviour the captain proceeded on the voyage.