REPORTED WRECK

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160735, 23 August 1920, Page 9

REPORTED WRECK

OF LARGE STEAMER. VESSEL SAID TO BE SWEPT BY SEA. (Per United Press Association.) GISBORNE, August 22. Word was received by the police this evening that a steamer was in distress near Poutae Rocks, about ten miles south of Tolaga Eav. Blasts from the steamer were heard at 4 o’clock on Sunday morning. Reports vary as to the size of the steamer.

Further word received by the police near midnight stated that the funnel had gone. There were no signs of life or lights, and seas were breaking over the vessel, which was deep down, in the water

The Monowai left Gisborne at noon and the Arahura at 1 p.m., both for Auckland, and may sight the stricken vessel. The manager of the Union Company despatched the collier Poherua from Gisborne at 10.30 to-night, and the steamer Putiki from Tolaga Bay at 10.46. Both are speeding to the scene of the accident.

It was feared that the vessel was the Kia Ora, which ,has been loading at Tokomaru Bay, but a wireless was received from that vessel at midnight stating that she is all right. TOTAL WRECK FEARED ' ARB THERE ANY SURVIVORS? GISBORNE, August 23. There is no further information so fa r as to the identity of the vessel seen on the Puatae rocks yesterday. Men from the station and a party from Tolaga Bay have gone out to search the beaci-ea. It was owing to the absence of telephone facilities on Sunday that the Grahams were unable to report the incident earlier, NO SIGN OF LIFE ON BOARD. GISBORNE, Aug. 23. The postmaster at Tolaga Bay reports that a party which went out from Rototahi yesterday saw on the reef a big vessel with two masts. There was no sign of a funnel. The vessel was about five miles off, and a heavy surf was breaking all over her. The party returned to shore in the evening, and it was then found that, the vessel had. drifted about two miles further in.' There was no light visible nor was there any sign of any life on board. Up till last night no wreckage had come ashore. The position of the vessel is between Rototahi and Puatae, about eight miles south of Tolaga Bay, two miles north of Gable End foreland. Parties went out at daylight this morning, hut have not returned.

NO SIGN OF wreck or WRECKAGE. GISBORNE, August 23. The Pohorua returned to port at 10 o’clock ■without being ahle to throw further light on the reported wreck. She arrived off Gable End foreland at 2 a.m. and stood by till after 6 a.m. The steamers Putiki, from Hick’s Bay, and I'iroa, from Gisborne, were then in the locality making a close inspection of the coastline, but up to the time the Bohemia left. had apparently discovered nothing. Rototahi station reports that the men who went to the beach early this morning have returned without finding any trace of wreckage on the beaches or obtaining any sight of the vessel that was visible yesterday. HAS A MISTAKE ARISEN? GISBORNE, August 23. This morning’s investigations by parties Horn Tolaga Bay and neighbouring stations disclose absolutely no trace of any wreckage on the coast, and the opinion is firmly held by local shipping authorities that a mistake has arisen. NOTHING SEEN BY ARAHURA. AUCKLAND, August 23. The Arahura arrived at noon. She saw nothing of the wreck.