MAROONED ON LAUNCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18929, 29 January 1925, Page 8

MAROONED ON LAUNCH.

MINISTERIAL PARTY DELAYED. RESULT OF ENGINE TROUBLE. TRIP COMPLETED WITH SAILS. [BY TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL REPORTER. ] WH/.KATA::E, Wednesday. A minor launching adventure today resulted in an irritating delay to the progress through the Bay of Plenty of the Minister for Lands, Hen. A. D. McLeod, and his party The Minister left IV Puke this morning by motor-car, and was then taken by launch on a visit of inspection down the Kaituna River, for which certain improvement works are proposed. The party travelled about 12 miles by launch, and landed on the sand hill near the mouth of the river. After the business had been completed the purt\ again embarked on the launch for the Maketu township, where motor-cars' were waiting to continue the trip, Soon after restarting in the launch, however, the engine broke down, and investigation showed that extensive repairs would be necessary, and that these would take too long. The anchor was dropped, and Mr. Ford, the owner of the launch, set out in the launch's dinghy for his home, about a mile and a-half back along the river, to bring another launch. This, unfortunately, was not there, but he collected sailing gear and rowed back to the disabled launch, where members of the party had been possessing their souls in patience for about an hour. The sails were soon hoisted, but the only effect was to send the launch on to a lee shore. Here she stuck fast. It was noted that there was the unlucky number of 13 people on board, tiire® being members of Parliament of no mean dimensions. Finally, as a result of 'Mr. Ford jumping overboard and pushing, and by other members of the party giving whatever help they could, the craft was floated off. In spite of the use of much nautical language by the three members of Parliament, the launch again ran into the bank. Again she was floated off, and with the mainsail filling to a favourabla breeze, and with the jib set as an improvised spinnaker, for the last straight run, she sailed up to Mr. Ford's landing in the approved yachting style. The mishap was responsible for a delay of about three hours. Matata, at which the party should have arrived at one o'clock, was not reached till nearly four o'clock. Deputations at Matata and Edgecumbe were therefore seriously inconvenienced, while the Ministerial party suffered through having to go without lunch. Whakatane was reached at sevaa o'clock.