THE MISSING MATOAKA.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 662, 24 May 1870, Page 2

THE MISSING MATOAKA.

(From the Lyttelton Times, May 14.) Yesterday morning a deputation of gentlemen interested in the fate of the Matoaka waited upon the Hon. the Premier with a view to ascertain what hopes there were of the General Government instituting a search for traces of the missing vessel. The deputation consisted of Mr Inglis (Matheson's Ageuey), Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce ; Mr Hennah (Dalgety and Co.), Deputy-Chairman of the Chamber; Mr Banks (Miles and Co.), Mr W. Kennaway, and Mr Willeocks, Begistrar of the Supreme Court, who had relatives on board the vessel; and Captain Roberts, of the ship Caduceus, to give evidence. It pointed out to Mr Fox that the ordinary course of a vessel leaving Lyttelton for England via Cape Horn would be between the Chatham and Bounty Islands, and that on the day the Matoaka left (13th of May, 1869) Captain Thompson, of the barque Southern Cross, started for Sydney, but met with a strong north-east gale which compelled him to return to port. It was, therefore, urged to be within the bounds of probability that the Matoaka had been blown so far out of her course as to come against one or other of the Bounty Islands. Mr Fox was reminded that these are twenty-four in number, and that the charts gave three or four different indications of their position, some of the variations being very considerable The opinion that the Matoaka, not having been spoken beyond them, had been wrecked amongst the group, was thought not at all an unlikely one. It was urged that there were no other islands in the route, and that Q-overn-

ment would be conferring a great boon' if they would send a Bteamer or some other vessel to cruise amongst the; islands, in the hope of discovering some trace of the uufortunate vessel, j Captain Roberts pointed out upon his chart the course the Matoaka would i be likely to take, and, as a gale was j blowing, said it was extremely probable that the vessel would come on to the group of islands. In supports of this, it was also stated that Captain; White, formerly of the Blue Jacket,] but now of the Charlotte Gladstone,; had actually gone through the group < when the weather was driving in that! particular way; and, further, that! there were many instances on recordj of persons being discovered on islands] in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian; oceans, a considerable time after the; loss of their vessels. Mr Fox replied; to these statements that, in the; interests of humanity, it was only right that some steps should be taken] to trace the missing vessel, and that if j the matter had only been named, sooner, he had no doubt but that Commodore Lambert would have gone t6

the group for that purpose. As ifcj was, if that gentleman, who it must be] understood is on the point of leaving] for Australia, could not undertake the; expedition, he (Mr Pox) would en-i deavor to get the St. Kilda, p.s. to go, I or failing her, adopt some other course. The deputation tendered their warm thanks to Mr Fox for this assurance,; and after some further conversation the interview terminated.