DISTRESS SIGNALS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 16 September 1926, Page 5

DISTRESS SIGNALS

SEEN IN COOK STRAIT.

SMALL STEAMER MISSING

SEARCH PROVES FRUITLESS.

(UY TKLKGEAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON. Sept. 15. A small steamer, believed' to be the Awarua, returning from a visit-to, th© Chatham Islands, .signalled by,, morse lamp to th e R.M.S. Makura_when in Cook Strait last .night that she was short of coal and ■ required l .assistance. The steamer in distress was sighted by, the Makura live miles south of Tawiakiiae, but her name could not be. ascertained.

On receiving the morse message, the captain of the Makura. reported the matter by wireless;. The Union Company sent the tug' Terawhiti o.ut in response to the. cal!, and .she left Wellington at 9.50 p.m. After an unsuccessful search the Terawhiti returned to port at one o’clock this morning and again put to sea at 3.10 a.m.' About 11 o’clock last night a message was received from Cape Palliser lighthouse stating that a small steamer with one masthead . light- was to the southward of Cape Palliser sending up* distress rockets.

The Marine Department has received 2 advice that the steamer was last seen about 12.30 A.m. going'in an easterly direction, v When the vessel was off Cape Palliser her lights were burning * brightly, so it is considered that her - coal supply was rot then : exhausted.! completely. The lighthouse gave the Terawhiti the coarse the small ship - was taking, and the tug made in that.: direction. .

The lighthouse-keeper of PenoaxroW ‘ reported to-day that conditions last night and early this morning; Were the worst he had experienced for. some’ years. The rain squalls were terrific, and there was much vivid lightning. : There was a good deal of shipping in,'. Cook Strait last night and early this morning, but owing to the heavy rain squalls it was not a.n easy matter' to ' distinguish vessels. : ■■■'. Shortly after midnight the keeper iat v Pencarrow observed a' light to the south-east." Heavy rain then cam© on and the ilight was not seen Again. At. midday to-day the light-keeper Teported.... that heavy seas were running off Cape Terawhiti; and except for a! number of fishing boats he could pick up no othen ships. As the Terawhiti had not returned, and no further word had been received, the Harbour Board’jS new* tug, the Tuia, left port to-day at 10.42 o’clock ; under Captain Spence to make a search in Cook .Strait. The coastal steamers Wooton. from Lyttelton, the Kapiti, from Wanganui, and the Cygnet, from Lyttelton and Kaikqura, arrived in port early this morning, but tbe crews of the three ships .saw* no sign*of a" vessel: in distress. The captains of the ferry steamers. Ngaio . and Wahine, which arrived at Wellington this morning, also saw no-signs of any disabled ship. J ‘ .

When the Awarua- left Wellington - she was in command of Captain T.' Sawyers, who had with him the following crew: —Mate, J. Steven; chief engi-.w neer, C. M. Smith: second engineer, p E. R. Taylor; steward, A. Fanner; cook J. Love; A.B’s., M. J. O’Leary, J, Williason. M. McLeod; firemen, W.i;> Armour. W. Miller* J. Tubor; fishermen, R. /Nicholson, D. Larfews, IG. Scott. M. Millar, B. Nagarup, FI E. Miller and G. S. Mouat. - .- i About mid-day to-day the Terawhiti sailed inwards past the.Ca.pe Palhter light, and reported there -were no sign’s of the nr&sing vessel.: . , .