STEAMER'S MOVEMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20889, 3 June 1931, Page 8

STEAMER'S MOVEMENTS.

CONCERN frELT AT RAGLAN. REASSURING REPORTS i , VESSEL RESUMES VOYAGE. IDENTITY NOT ESTABLISHED. [from our own correspondent.] RAGLAN, Tuesday. Considerable concern was caused at Raglan to-day following a report at eighfc o'clock this morning from Mrs. W. Phillips, of Aotea, jstating that she could aea a steamer which appeared to be ou lira and in distress off the coast between Kawhia and Raglan. Mrs. "Phillips said the vessel was lying between Woody Head and Gannet Island, about, two miles out to £,ea, and seemed to be enveloped in smoke. Inquiries were made and other settlers reported that they could see the vessel, which appeared to be on fire. Ilia steamer remained in about the same posilion for several hours. Messages reporting that the vessel was in distress were sent to the chief postmaster, Wellington, to the Northern Steamship Company, Auckland, and to the Marine Department. An effort was made to secure a suitable boat at Raglan to go out to the vessel, but only launches were available, and the owners were of the opinion that the bar was far too rough to enable tha passage to be made with safety. Con.stable J. O'Sullivan, of Raglan, and Mr. V. G. Grinlington, postmaster, went outj to a point near Bryant House this afternoon and watched the steamer through a pair of powerful binoculars. They could s.ee men on the deck but could discern, no signals of distress. They came to the conclusion that the vessel was a trawler and that what appeared to Mrs. Phillips and others to be smoke was only steam* It is unusual for trawlers to work sa far south on the west coast as Raglan,;, but occasionally they are 6een in thatj locality. None of the ordinary coastal trading steamers was expected to-day at either Kawhia or Raglan, and the identity.; of the strange vessel could not be estabi 1 lished at Raglan. Mr. A. D. McCardle, who lives on thai Te Akau side of the Raglan Harbour,! saw the vessel disappear behind a head-) land afc Te Akau just before sundownj this afternoon. She was then about five miles out to sea, and was travelling at normal speed northward. She did notr appear to be in any danger and was evidently making for Onehunga.

VESSEL'S POSSIBLE IDENTITY. MAY BE COASTAL STEAMER. [by telegraph.—press-association.] 'NEW PLYMOUTH. Tuesday. | Regarding the, vessel reported to be ini: distress near Raglan, authorities at tha ports of New Plymouth and Waitara are unable to throw any light, except that the Holm Company's coastal steamer John, 353' tons, Captain Holm, left NewPlymouth last Friday for Port Waikato.Although- the John was due at Welling-; ton this evening the New Plymouth, agents thought it possible that the vessel, ha,d been delayed at the Waikato Bar; and might be in the vicinity of Raglan* News of the arrival of the John at Well* ington had not been received -late to-night*

Inquiries in Auckland yesterday elicited' the information that none of the Auck-. land trawlers is on the west coast, and that no Wellington trawler was likely to be in the vicinity of Raglan. Tha Northern Steamship Company's vessels oq the west coast were also accounted for.