THE JOSEPH CONRAD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 163, 11 June 1936, Page 7

THE JOSEPH CONRAD.

CALLED AT SAMOA! LETTER REACHES AUSTRALIA. Received June 11, 10.45 a.m. MELBOURNE, June 11. A Geelonrr resident has received a letter from his nephew on the Joseph Conrad, headed “Joseph Conrad.— Samoa.’’ The letter states that the vessel had passed through heavy weather and that part of the mast had been carried away. It was added that from Samoa the vessel would go to. Tahiti, a journey which was estimated to take two months. Evidently the ship was to visit the Pacific islands on the way. DISCOVERIES ON COAST. DOUBT ABOUT WRECKAGE. Per Press Association. HASTINGS, June 10. An opinion that the wreckage found on the beach at Porangahau could not have originated from the ship Joseph Conrad was expressed by Mr W. Falconer, a marine engineer, who sailed in the vessel from Ipswich to Melbourne before she proceeded to New Zealand, and who is at present on a visit to Hastings. Mr Falconer said it was extremely unlikely that the Joseph Conrad would be in the vicinity of the New Zealand coast, as, after going to New Guinea with a party of gold prospectors, the captain was anxious to return to England and would not therefore come back toward the New Zealand coast. The wreckage did not resemble in the least any equipment which to his knowledge was on board the Joseph Conrad. She had only one small hatch cover, on which was a brass plate with the name of the vessel inscribed. He also did not think the mastblock washed upon the beach last Friday belonged to the Joseph Conrad, as her blocks were all steel fixtures.

NO WRECKAGE SEEN. SEARCH BY MATAI. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, .Jane 10. No wreckage at sea in the vicinity of Porangahau was sighted by the Government steamer Matai, which arrived from East Coast lighthouses today. Captain Burgess, master of the Matai, states that the vessel arrived at Castlejaiint from Wellington the.da*- after, the distress rockets were seen. After leaving Castlepoint Captain Burgess zig-zagged the Matai along the coast for about 60 miles searching the sea, particularly near the bay of Porangahau, but did not sight wreckage or floating oil.

FRESH DISCOVERY. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 10. The mast block at Porangahau has disappeared, apparently having floated out to sea since Friday. Another ha.tch cover was found by a search party this morning, and apparently it had not been in the water long as the screws were not rusty. It is slightly smaller than the others, being about 9 feet by 18 inches.