NOEL COWARD'S DENIAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21396, 20 October 1934, Page 3 (Supplement)

NOEL COWARD'S DENIAL

"NOT MAROONED IN WRECK"

Mr. Noel Coward, the playwright, who arrived in London a few weeks ago, denied the stories that had been associated with his yachting adventure in Corsica.

It had been ■•reported earlier that .Mr. Coward was marooned in the lonely fishing village of lie Pousse, on the north coast of Corsica, after l.e had seen his yacht, the Mairi, dashed to disaster on the rocks. He had. it was stated, lost all his clothes, £3OOO in money, and jewellery. Here is what Mr. Coward said: J was not marooned. I was actually 70 miles awav from the yacht when it battered on the rocks. I did not have to swim for my life. 1 did not lose £.IOOO, and 1 did not have to live a hermit-like existence in He Pousse. I was waiting at lie Pousse for the Main to pick me up. . " The yacht did not arrive, so 1 wired for money while waiting for the ordinarv passenger boat to pick me up. 1 am afraid my adventure was not an adventure at all, and that the vivid accounts of it are like Mark Twain's death—grossly exaggerated."