A CURIOUS FIND.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14140, 25 February 1910, Page 5

A CURIOUS FIND.

LIFE-BELTS WASHED ASHORE. Per Press Association. CIiIIISTCHUECH, Fob. 24. Neil Johanscn, of Inwood's road, [ Bur wood, reports having made an un--1 usual find when walking along _ New Brighton beach this afternoon, in the j shape of a number of ships life-belts. Johansen states that he is in tho habit of walking along tho bench, almost daily, and sometimes fishes as far I north as the mouth of the Wainiakariri. This afternoon lie saw a life-belt in the sea, but did not take much notice of it. A little further on however he came upon two mora, and by tho time lie readied the Waimaknrariri he had picked up fourteen. He collected them and took them inland, and stacked them on Rome barrels out of reach of the sea. On his way buck to New Brighton he picked up seven more, and these he nlso olaced out of reach of the sen. The life-belts appeared to have been in the sea for some time, as some of them had mussels attached to them. One of those taken from tho sea was unopened, but tho remainder were opened as if they had been used. Some were made of cotton eanva3, and a few of ordinary hemp ennvas. A lot of them were striped blue and white. One has on it either a number or initials, but on account of its condition from being in the sea a long time Mr Johansen wan unable to determine what the marks are, though they appear to be the letters "11 G" with "P» over them. There are two kinds of life-ljelts. One kind lias arm 'hole* and' a loop to fit the' shoulders, whilst the other kind has a double row of small 1 corks in' front. The canvas ones are in good order. It is evident however that all of them have travelled some distance. Johansen saw others in the water, and hopes to get them to-morrow. T-To nlsm hopes that tho ones he got to-day wiM be dry enough to-morrow to permit of any marks being deciphered.