A MESSAGE FROM THE SEA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1005, 21 December 1910, Page 4

A MESSAGE FROM THE SEA.

IS IT FROM . THE DUCO? : (By Telegraph—Press Association,) Christchurch, December 20. At an early hour this morning the constable at Southbridge reported to the police authorities that a Maori named John Puck had found a- bottle on .the beach containing the following message: "Auckland Islands, September 21, 1910. Engine broke down; landed here; no .food; living on penguin eggs; seven of us saved. -For God's sake help us. The rest are buried on the islands. We will soon pass out. (Signed) Peter Petersen, s.s. Duco."

Constable at Southbridge has been instructed to obtain possession'of the message and forward it to this city. Considerable doubt is thrown on the authenticity of tlio above message. The Duco'was lost on her way to Chatham Islands from Wellington, and was .reported missing on October G, 1909, and the. finding of the Court of Inquiry was given on November 26, 1909. It is questioned whether a bottle placed in ; the sea at the Auckland Islands on the date given in the message would have been brought to the coast of the South' Island in the time. The .Government steamer visits the islands periodically, and if there had been auy survivors from the Duco on tho Auckland Islands they would have been discovered long ere this.