DESPERATE BID TO ANSWER LOVE CALL

Chronicle (Levin), 23 October 1946, Page 5

DESPERATE BID TO ANSWER LOVE CALL

- Press Association

By Telegraph -

W 1*j1j I j 1 A (. J 1 ( ) A j Oct. 22. Determincd to reach New Zealand to join her liance, an English glil adopted desperate nieasures by beconiing a passenger on tlie converted Navv Fairinile launcli destined for Australia. The vessel provided eramped quarters for 32 people as far as Malta and 40 from Xlalta to Pori. Said where Ihe trip was abandoned. Tlie girl is Aliss Joa*n Brislow wlio arrived in Wellington today 011 ihe Rangitata and who experts to Jive in .Masterton. A11 Australian in Ihe R.A.F. boughf the Fairmile from the Admiralty when he deeided to provide liis 0w11 transport home after being demobitised, ciiarging [lassengers £200 eacli to eover the cdst of the long voyage. A young Australian Merchaut Navy man acted as captain and navigator and ihe Wel lingtonian, Mr. J. Cole, who as far as is known is still in l'ort Said, was among the crew. The passcngers in cluded 13 women, a 15 months oltl buby, two boys aged seven and eight, ii married couple from l'oland and a Russian woinan aged 72. Thev had long stops at ports of call but.the (rip was abandoned at Port Said, Ihe organiser oll'ering to roi'und the passage nioney. Miss Bristow said various reasons had been given for abandoning the trip but she thought the difliculty of carrying suflicient fuel for the liidiau Oeean crossing was the niain one. There would have to be 50 drums of liigh octane petrol as deck cargo which, in hot weather, would have been dangermis. The owner deeided to discontinue the plan as a result of a warning by the British Consul. Aiiss Bristow and two other women mauaged t6 arrange passages 011 the Rangitata after a week in Port Said and did nol know wliat happened to the rest of the passengers.