A MISSING COOK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3912, 5 March 1929, Page 73

A MISSING COOK.

THE PORT ALMA DELAYED. WELLINGTON, February 28. A big liner bound to London was held up .at Wellington to-day for several hours owing to the chief cook leaving the ship when she was ready to sail. The vessel was the Commonwealth and Dominion Company’s new motor ship Port Alma, which has 12 passengers and a full and very valuable cargo of wool, dairy produce, frozen meat, fruit, etc., for London. The ship completed loading shortly before noon. Her lines were “ singled up ” at that hour, the pilot was on board, and the ship was ready to start on her voyage to London via the Panama canal, when it was reported that the chief cook was missing. It is stated that he was seen by some of the ship’s company to go ashore shortly before noon, and was driven away in a private motor car that was waiting on the wharf. The Port Alma left the King’s wharf shortly after 12.30 p.m. and went to an anchorage in the stream. A warrant for the arrest of the missing cook was taken out immediately by the Commonwealth and Dominion officials, who had also to seek out a man competent to take his place for the passage to London. A chef from a leading Wellington hotel was engaged and signed on during the afternoon, and was taken off to the Port Alma, which put to sea after a delay of about five hours.

It is understood that the whereabouts of the missing cook are known to the police authorities.