APPALLING DISASTER.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17869, 15 November 1929, Page 7

APPALLING DISASTER.

FISHING FLEET IN GALE. SEVERAL VESSELS SUNK. NUMBER OP LIVES LOST. United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel.— Copyright LONDON, Nov. 13. Hon. W. Adamson, Secretary of State for Scotland, announced a disaster off the East England coast on Monday afternoon to the Scottish fishing fleet, which left for the Ashing grounds early in the morning before the gale warning reached them. The gale, which was of great fury, swept the fleet, two vessels benig sunk and three lives lost. Vessels from Lowestoft lost 11,000 nets, and 400 vessels from Yarmouth lost 20-000 nets. The present value of the lost nets was about £90,000, and the cost of replacement will be about £150,000. FURTHER LOSS OF LIFE. MANY SCOTSMEN RUINED. YARMOUTH MEN'S ESCAPE. United Press Assn,—Elec. Tel.—Copyright LONDON, Nov. 13. "The losses are the most severe ever known in East Anglia,” says a Yarmouth fish salesman. “Many Scottish fisherman on their way home are ruined. Nearly every one of the 690 Scottish herring boats lost all their nets, which were practically uninsured. Scotsmen .usually work on the system of the nine or ten in a crew sharing in the ownership of nets and gear. The loss will amount to £IOO for each group. Scotsmen never fish on Sundays, and are bound to go out on Monday. The Yarmouth fishermen escaped because they fished on Sunday.” A further loss of life is reported, a Hull trawler losing three men overboard, one of whom (the captain) was washed back, but the others were not seen again. The disaster Is causing a fish shortage. NEWS IN THE COMMONS. QUESTION OP ASSISTANCE. WORST DISASTER FOR YEARS. LONDON, November 13. The news that a part of the Scottish herring fleet was limping home from the East Anglian fishing grounds, with lives lost, nets destroyed, and craft haltered, came upon the House of Commons with dramatic suddenness. The House was in the middle of the usual jesting hurlyburly of question time, when it was silenced and awed by Mr Adamson’s revelation of one of the worst Ashing disasters for many years. A member asked if the Government could do something to help the men to replace their gear. Mr Adamson said he was continuing his inquiries. He could not add anything at the present moment. Mr I, J. Albery (Conservative, Gravesend) expressed trie sympathy of the House when he suggested that in view of the magnitude of the disaster the Lord Mayor of London ought to he approached to open a fund to relieve the distress of the fishermen.