SCHOONER OVERDUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21399, 25 January 1933, Page 9

SCHOONER OVERDUE

CONCERN FOR THE HUIA!

CARGO OF EXPLOSIVES MELBOURNE-SYDNEY TRIP. By Telegraph—J'resj Association—Copyright SYDNEY, Jan. 24 The schooner Huia left Melbourne laden with explosives for Sydney and has not reported since passing Wilson's Promontory on Thursday. The weather since then has delayed many large vessels, but some concern is felt iter the Huia. The Huia is a wooden auxiliary schooner of 251 tons gross and i 3 owned by Nobel's, Australia, Limited. She , was built at Aratapu in 1894 and during her long career she has been mostly engaged in the intercolonial service, first as a timber and csal carrier and later carrying explosives between Australian ports , and New Zealand ports for her present owners. At every port she visits she is constantly admired because of her yachtlike appearancij. Periodically she is extensively overhauled and no expense is spared to keep her in firstrdass condition. During her 3S years of sea service she ms made many hundreds of passages across the Tasiaan Sea and has often been beset by Severn storms which she successfully battled through with very little damage. In May last year, when the Huia was on a voyage between Australian ports she encountered a very severe storm which delayed and damaged steamers and also dismasted the Finnish four-masted barque Hougomont. The Huia was hove-to during the worst of the storm and eventually reached port ahead of a number of steamers. On her present voyage the vessel is taking explosives from Melbourne to Sydney and from Sydney she is to proceed to Grafton to load for Akaroa and Auckland. She left Melbourne on January 17 and was expected to reach Sydney last Sunday. It is not unusual for a sailing vessel like the Huia to be delayed by storms, because the auxiliary engine is not powerful enough to drive her against a strong head wind. St army weather is reported on the Australian coast and it is expected that the vessel may have had to put to sea. The local agents of the vessel do not think there is any cause for anxiety owing to her delayed arrival at Sydney,