CAUGHT IN A GALE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20875, 15 November 1929, Page 9

CAUGHT IN A GALE

SCOTTISH FISHING FLEET. SEVERAL MEN DROWNED. THOUSANDS OF NETS LOST. (British Official Wireless.) (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph— Copyright.) RUGBY, November 13. Mr W. Adamson (Secretary for Scotland) announced in the House of Commons « disaster off the east coast of -England on Monday.. afternoon to the Scottish fishing fleet. The fleet left early in the morning before the gale warning reached it, and proceeded to the fishing grounds, "where it should have arrived about 1 o’clock in the afternoon. A gale of great fury swept-the fleet, with the result that two vessels drifted-and were sunk, and three.lives were lost.. In addition, some vessels from Lowestoft lost 11,000 nets, and 400 vessels from Yarmouth lost 20,000 nets. The present value of the nets was about £90,000, and the cost of replacement would be about £150,000. FURTHER LOSS OF LIFE. MEN WASHED OVERBOARD. LONDON, November 13. (Received Nov. 14, at 5.5 p.m.) “ The worst -losses ever known jn East Anglia,” says a Yarmouth fish salesman. “Many Scottish fishermen on the way home are ruined, and most of the 690 Scottish herring-boats-have lost, all their nets, which were. , practically uninsured. Scotsmen usually, work on.the system, of nine or ten in the crew, Who share ownership of the nets and gear, and the loss will amount to £IOO in each group. Scotsmen never fish on Sundays,, and are bound to go out on Monday. The Yar-mouth-fishermen escaped - because they fished on Sunday.”Further loss of life is reported, a Hull fleet trawler losing three overboard,: of whom the captain was washed back, but the others were not seen again. The disaster is causing a fish shortage. REFERENCE IN PARLIAMENT. OPENING OF FUND SUGGESTED. ' - ’ LONDON,-November 13. (Received Nor. 14, at 0.5 p.m'.) The nows that part of the Scottish herring fleet was limping home from the East Anglian fishing grounds with lives lost, nets destroyed, and craft battered came upon the House of Commons with dramatic suddenness. The House was in the middle of the.. usual jesting and hnrlyhnrly of question time when it was silenced and awed by the revelation by Mr W. Adamson (Secretary of State for Scojland) of one of the worst fishing disasters for many years, Mr R. J. Meller (Conservative) asked If the Government could do something to help the men to replace their gear. Mr Adamson said he was’ having further inquiries made, and he could not add anything at the present moment. Mr I. J. Albery (Con.) expressed the House’s sympathy, and suggested that in view of the magnitude of the disaster the lord Mayor of London ought to be approached to, open a fund to relieve the fishermen’s distress.