LAUNCH MISSING FROM JETTY

Southland Times, Issue 24654, 28 January 1942, Page 6

LAUNCH MISSING FROM JETTY

SIMILAR VESSEL SEEN AT STEWART ISLAND

WHEREABOUTS OF YOUTH

QUESTIONED

A launch, similar to the Sea Bird, which was taken from the Invercargill jetty on Thursday, was seen at Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island, at 7.30 p.m. on Friday. The Sea Bird, which is owned by Mr W. J. Duncan, of 83 Duke street, was previously seen at about 6.30 p.m. on Thursday crossing the bar at the Invercargill heads and proceeding to sea. Twenty-eight feet in length and yawl rigged, the missing ship is painted white with a dark red canvas-covered deck. She is powerid by an auxiliary engine and has tan!coloured sails. A ninefoot double ended dinghy belonging to the Sea Bird, painted white with a green band along the gunwale, is also missing. I For aboutj the last three weeks a young man, a stranger to the city, has been in Invercargill and has been seen several times at the jetty. He has evidently been boarding in Invercargill and the police would welcome information about him. He is described by the police as a young man, 24. years of age, sft lljin. in height, of medium build, fresh complexion, brown curly hair and yith hazel eyes. He was seen on the launch on Thursday afternoon wearing dark tweed trousers, brown canvas shoes, a blue pullover and a black leather jacket. PETROL STOLEN

On Wednesday, January 21, 63 gallons of petrol were removed from the Queen’s Park Golf Club’s club-house, where a tractor is usually kept. The petrol was in two 44-gallon drums. Also taken were four gallons of heavy motor oil, a pair of pliers, a tin of green paint, an oilskin coat and a blue pullover. It is evident that the thief used a motor-vehicle to remove the goods. On the following night the Single Profit store in Centre street, Georgetown, was broken into and a considerable quantity of groceries and tinned goods was taken. Mr R. A. Frampton, who has a garage at the rear of the store, discovered yesterday that the garage had been entered and that someone had used his car. One of the stolen tins was found in the car empty. It is presumed that this car was used to carry the stolen goods from the store and the golf course. In the early part of last week two coils of rope suitable for making lashings were removed from the boating club’s staging. A considerable quantity of groceries and petrol was loaded on to the Sea Bird last week by a young man with the assistance of two small boys. 1 The ship is provided with a compass and chart and is capable of making a long voyage. Since Thursday the weather has been good and sailing conditions ideal.