LOSS OF THE MATUNGA.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1012, 14 November 1917, Page 2

LOSS OF THE MATUNGA.

A MYSTERY OF THE SEA. RAIDER OR SEISMIC DISTURBANCE? The report, o(' the Superintendent of Navigation, who has conducted an inquiry at Sydney into the disappearance of the steamer Matunga, has boon released for publication. The vessel, one of the Burns, Philp line, loft Brisbane on July 27 lor Rabaul, where she was duo on" August 7, and a wireless message was received from her saying that she expected to arrive on her due date. Since this message nothing has been heard of her. nor of the 60 passengers who were on board.

In. the report it is stated that the message which purported to have been sent irom the ship must have been despatched when, calculating her speed, she was about 300 miles from Rabaul. Burns, Philp and Co. sent the Massina from Sydney on August 19 to search lor the missing'ship. She returned on September l'J, alter a cruise of 31 days, and the master reported that he had not seen a sign of the Matunga. Other vessels carried on the search without resu't. Among these were the Morinda, which should have spoken the Matunga near Rabaul. She was recalled from the search, having nothing to report. Confidential papers of the Navy concerning the disappearance of the vessel show that complete efforts were made to obtain tidings of the missing ship. The only thing found was a new electric light bulb, of the kind used on the Burns, Philp boats. The inquiry showed that there was no doubt ol the stability of the Matunga. The cargo was well stoAved, the Plimsoll mark being six inches clear.

The finding of the Superintendent of Navigation is as follows:—"Having 'given the evidence the most careful consideration, I can only find that this line vessel left Sydney well found and equipped in the best working order, and ! that all life-saving appliances were in good order. Similarly she. left Newcastle and Brisbane in seaworthy order 'and condition, and I can only find that the cause of her disappearance is unknown.

"precommend that the definite finding be postponed for three months, by which time something definite may be ascertained either by hearing of the vessel's capture by the enemy, or by finding some wreckage, or other trace of the ship." The report states that there was nothing in the holds of the ship of a dangerous or inflammable'character. On deck there was a quantity of benzine safely stowed. In the magazine on the bridge there were lour cases of dynamite, carried safely, and so certified by inspectors at Brisbane. There is no evidence in support of the theory that an infernal machine was on the ship. The loss of the vessel may have been due to a seismic disturbance, as Rabaul lies near the branch of tile main volcanic sewer between Japan and Now Zealand. The director of the Sydney Ob servatory says that the instrumeni showed an earthquake on August (i. probably near New Guinea, but it it difficult to conceive that a steamship of the size of the Matunga could have been destroyed without leaving a trace particularly in the confined space of water within which the vessel was when she sent out her wireless message.

A cabl efrom Sydney a fortnight apt reported that wreckage found was be lieved to belong to the Matunsa, am A cable from Sydney a fortnight ag a seismic disturbance.