SCHOONER WRECKED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23223, 22 June 1937, Page 10

SCHOONER WRECKED

NO LIVES LOST ARRANGEMENTS FOR RESCUE APIA, June 20. (Received June 21, at 11.20 p.m.) The auxiliary schooner Makoa, owned by the Burns, Philp Company, is a total wreck at Hull Island, in the Phoenix Group. No lives were lost. The crew and the labourers on board are all ashore and well with sufficient food and water. The Makoa had been overdue for approximately three weeks. The Burns, Philp Company, through the agency of the Union Steam Ship Company, asked the Monowai, which left Suva last Friday, to call at Hull Island and report. To-day the following message was received from the master of the Monowai;—“ The Makoa is a total wreck at Hull Island. No lives were lost.” This message was passed on to H.M.S. Wellington, en route from the Union Group to Apia, and the commander then despatched the following message to the master of the Monowai:—“Please state on what part of Hull Island the Makoa is wrecked, what assistance you rendered, and if any more is required. What is the probable period that the Makoa’s crew, can live on the present stores and water? ” The master of the Monowai replied:—“The Makoa was wrecked at a settlement on the north-west coast. The vessel is a total loss, only the ribs remaining. The crew will probably have plenty of stores as the Burns, Philp Company has a copra plantation there. The Makoa was apparently landing stores or loading copra when she was wrecked. The crew did not want any assistance or stores from me, so apparently they are well supplied. They told me that they expected a warship in a few days. All well.” The Burns, Philp Company has since arranged with the Union Company for the Niagara, which will pass Hull Island on her trip south to-morrow, to pick up the crew and take them to Suva.

The Makoa had just completed a thorough and extensive overhaul at Apia and Suva, and this was her first trip out since then.