THE MISSING JUBILEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17650, 10 December 1920, Page 6

THE MISSING JUBILEE.

NO TIDINGS OF SCHOONER.

AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH.

TUT AN AI RETURNS FROM NiUE.

The New Zealand Government steamer Tutanekai, returned to Auckland last evening after an unsuccessful cruise m search of the schooner Jubilee, which sailed from Auckland, for N iue Island on August 15, and has not since been heard of.

Captain C. Post, who is in command of the Tutanekai, stated that the steamer left Whangarei cm November 23, and searched the North and South Minerva reefs and no sign of life or wreckage was found, with the exception of the remains of the schooner Strathcona, which was wrecked there some years ago. The Tutanekai then visited Pylstaart Island and the Tongan group. On arrival at Niue Island it was ascertained that the American yacht Ajax had just returned from Beveridge Reef and had found no trace of the missing schooner. The Tutajiekai, after landing about 65 tons of provisions, left Niue Island cm. December 3 and visited Sunday, Macauley, and Curtis Islands, also L'Esperance Rock, but failed to discover any sign of life or wreckage. Fine weather was experienced throughout the trip, and a careful lookout was kept for floating wreckage. Mr. R. D. Head, a merchant at N'iuc Island, who arrived by the Tutanekai, said the Jubilee was due there about September 4, and on that date a severe hurricane was experienced at the island. It caused water-spouts on the south side, the direction from . which the Jubilee would be approaching. A vessel the size of the Jubilee • would have little chance of weathering the storm. Subsequently lie found a ship's locker on the beach and a stone utk bottle containing ink. The locker he forwarded to New Zealand for identification. There are abc.-ut 26 white people and 4000 natives on the island, said Mr. Head, and the former are dependent on New Zealand for their stores. The Jubilee carried about three months' supplies, but as her last trip was in June, these were exhausted when the Ajax arrived on December 2 and landed a quantity of provisions she had brought from Apia.