THE CANASTOTA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18280, 24 June 1921, Page 6

THE CANASTOTA

ANXIETY REGARDING HER NON-ARRIVAL. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 23. In connection with the missing steamer, the first attempt to call the Canastota was made last Saturday in the shape of an inquiry as to when she expected to reach port. Yesterday the ship’s agents (Messrs Dalgety and Co.) sent out a request to all ships within range asking them to keep a look-out for the steamer, and report to Wellington. Her owners had also been communicated with, asking whether a search steamer shall be sent out. The Moeraki, which left Wellington this morning, was instructed to alter her course slightly in keeping a look-out for' the overdue steamer. The Waitomo left New Plymouth on Tuesday for Newcastle, and the Waihora is due here on Saturday from Newcastle. Both have instructions to try to sight her. Inquiries were made at the office of Amalgamated Wireless (Limited) as to the possibility of the Canastota being unable to communicate with other vessels or land stations if her -wireless gear were not in order. The New Zealand manager of the company stated he did not know what the Canastota’s equipment was, hut if it was typical of the American marine set there was little doubt that it could be heard any time, and it certainly would be heard at night, even if some breakdown in the engine room made it necessary for her to fall back on the emergency set. The British and Australasian emergency set are usually of much less power and sending range than the regular equipment, but typical American outfits include emergency apparatus, equal in power to the regular equipment. If any messages were being sent out from the Canastota he had no doubt she would bo heard by other ships at sea, or by the Australian or New Zealand land stations. The steamer came to Sydney direct from New York, and loaded there a quantity of general cargo and cases of benzine consigned to New York, and left port with her cargo space about half filled. She was to load at Wellington about 250 tons of general cargo and 60,000 cases of benzine to be returned to America, with that lifted in Sydney. The suggestion has been made that H.M.S. Chatham should be sent to search for the missing steamer. ' Press Association —By Telegraph-Copyright. SYDNEY, June 25. (Received June 25, at 10 p.m.) There is no news of the Canastota, which is carrying a cargo of 50,000 cases of benzine. The consensus of opinion in shipping circles is that the vessel has met with a mishap which lias disabled her machinery, making it impossible to use her wireless, and that she is proceeding slowly to port.