BRIGHTON EXCITED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 42, 18 January 1936, Page 4

BRIGHTON EXCITED

MOVEMENTS OF VESSEL

NEVER IN DANGER.

Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 17

Because lla.slies from an electric torch were mistaken last evening for distress signals off' the pier, Brighton worked itself up into an unprecedented state of excitement. To-day comes the anticlimax. It started when Captain C. G. Carey, master of the scow Ngahau, solicitous for the welfare of his cargo of 500 sheep, sent members of bis crew armed with torches to see that they ! were safe. Lively imaginations on the beach mistook the flashes of torches for distress signals, although a distress rocket explodes at a height of 500 feet. The alarm was raised and the Rescue II from Sumner, the only life boat in New Zealand, was despatched. The Fire Brigade charged down to the beach and the fire bell was exercised with surprising vigour, while in the meantime someone operated on the Surf Club s alarm bell. The result was that Brighton’s population was quickly concentrated in the vicinity of the pier, waiting for things to happen. While all this was going on the Ngahau was never in danger. She nosed her way along the coast, crossed the Waimakariri bar and safely berthed at Kaiapoi. “Damn nonsense,” said Captain Carey this morning, commenting on the report that distress signals had been given, “and as for Morse signals sent from the shore, we never saw them. We had other business to see to.” The Ngahau, he said, left Kaiapoi at 10 a.m. yesterday aud arrived at Little Pigeon Bay at 12.30 p.m. She | loaded her cargo of sheep for the freez- j ing works and sailed at 7.30 p.m. She struck a nor’-west gale about 9.30 p.m. j of! Brighton and for a while could i make no progress. Standing in close] to the pier to avoid the high seas, the vessel missed stays several times, which I would account for her lights being ob- j scared from the shore at intervals. At 11 o’clock the wind moderated and good progress was made up the coast to the bar, which was crossed at 1 a.m. j to-day. |