THE WESTRALIA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14097, 14 April 1920, Page 5

THE WESTRALIA.

RUNS AGROUND. CALL FOR ASSISTANCE. (By Telegraph —Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. ‘ The secretary of the G.P.O. has received the following telegram from tiie superintendent of the Awarua wireless station: — • • S.S, Westralia, bound from the Bluff to Melbourne, late last night wirelessed ta. Melbourne for immediate assistance. '■'She reported having run aground. “ The exact position is not ascertainable‘through strong static interference, but it is prCsumed that the ship is in the vicinity of Bass Strait. “The s.s. Loongana is already hurrying to the ship’s assistance, and a destroyer was to leave immediately steam was available. “From obscurations up till seven o’clock this morning it 'would appear that there iq no immediate, danger to the vessel, and the position seems well in hand.” (Bass’Strait is the isletod channel separating Tasmania from Australia. It runs 180 miles almost due east and west, and lias an average breadth of 140 miles. It was named after George Bass, surgeon of H.M.S. Reliance, who in 1798 proved the existence of the channel.^ (The Westralia was due at .Melbourne to-morrow from New Zealand.) VESSEL RAN ASHORE LAST NIGHT. (Received Wednesday, 10.10 a.m.) HOBART, This Day. The steamer Westralia ran ashore at 9 o’clock last night on Clarke Island, Banks Straits (north of Tasmania, in the region of Bass Strait). 'Dirge is a heavy southeast sea.