OVERDUE STEAMERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 61, 7 March 1912, Page 4

OVERDUE STEAMERS.

HIMITANGI STRANDED AT THE CHATHAMS. J ASHORE ON SANDY REACH. (Per Press Association.)) Wellington, Marjch 6. Anxiety in Wellington regarding the overdue steamer Himitantp was ended this afternoon when tlAe Marine Department received a from Cape Pallicer stating that\ the steamer Gertie had reported that hho Himitangi was stranded at and that the crew- •■were standings by her. ... ,■■■■, ■ . . . The Gertie, owe of, the three vessels I sent in search ( of the Himitangi, arrived a few hours later "and confirmed! the message.) I) She' also landed four of ; the. j passengers. The Gertie reached,- AYaitangi last Saturday, and from the roadstead could see the Himitangi stranded on the east side of Petre Bay. • Captain Rodger, who went with the Gertie as mate, said he had ascertained that the Himitangi went ashore on the morning of Sunday, February 11. She had arrived at Waitangi at" 2 o’clock that morning, and anchored in the roadstead. Three hours later she was found to be on the beach,- having, dragged her anchor. She was standing upright and broadside on, on n.,level, beach. Efforts to get her off failed, but withthe aid of gear and suitable weather it is considered probable that she null be got off. ■ i < Residents of the island are treating the captain and crew well. Meanwhile the vessel is in no danger, being in a soft, easy bed, with three anchors out. 1 Early in the afternoon of the day the vessel stranded the ship’s cook J. Meritt, died sudddenly from natural causes. He was buried in the cemetery, close to the strandine, as was also the body of Captain Hood, very old resident of the island, who had died a day or two before. Between the time of the stranding of the Himitangi* and the departu© of the Gertie there were six deaths on the island. THE REGULUS~DELAYED. Gisborne, March 6. There are fears for the safety of the , steamer Regulus (584 tons), bound from Westport to Gisborne with a cargo of coal from the Westport Coal Company. She should have arrived on Monday night and it is feared that the vessel was caught in the storm that raged in Cook Straits on Saturday. The Regulus is commanded by Captain Tointon. Later, A steamer, believed to be the Regu-" lus, arrived in the offing shortly after 10 p.m., but will not berth before midnight.