DISMASTED SCHOONER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21296, 24 September 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

DISMASTED SCHOONER

DUTCH LINER'S TIMELY AID Members of the new of the Dutch liner Nieuw Zeeland during her voyage to Brisbane' recently succoured the crew of a dismasted Malayan schooner in the Java Sea, and effected repaii's to the damaged vessel. On August 26 a woman passenger on the Nieuw Zeeland saw a prahu _or schooner of about 20 tons, four miles astern. The natives were waving their sarongs as though in distress, so the master of the Nieuw Zeeland put his ship about and brought up alongside the schooner. The vessel proved to be a one-masted native trader, carrying a cargo of salt from a native village on the north coast of the island of Flores to its home port of Beinongko, in the island of Boeton. The mast had been broken off short ina squall, and with only a small emergency sail tho schooner had drifted for five or six horn's. The crew had no water and little food.

The native skipper asked for a tow to Flores, 35 miles away, for repairs. This would have meant a serious delay to the Nieuw Zeeland, so a new mast and timbers to replace the broken planks were supplied on the spot, and two of the Nieuw Zeeland's engineers, assisted by the Malayan crew, repaired ..the damage in two hours. Fresh water and a 751b. bag ot rice were given to the natives, who, with voluble thanks and blessings, the« departed on their voyage to Beinongko,