MYSTERY ON S.S! MONOWAL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1883, 17 October 1913, Page 6

MYSTERY ON S.S! MONOWAL

QUARTERMASTER DISAPPEARS. John M'Kechnio, a quartermaster ott tlio steamer Monowai, disappeared mysteriously between 4.10 a.m. and 6 a.m. yesterday, when tlio vessel wos en route from Lyttelton to Wellington. It seems that he took a cup of coffeo the bridge for the chief officer (Mr. Scott) about 4.10 a.m. And afterwards temporarily relieved tiho man at tha Wheel. . Ho subsequently relief tho mail on the look-out for a few minutes. At about 4.45 a.m. tlio look-out man. saiv him going aft to carry out an in- /. struction from the chief officer to put' cortain cups and plates in tho saloon.' Ho apparently did so, bocauso tho ste-> wards found'those articles on the saloon' , table shortly after 5 a.m. Since then.; however, nothing was seen or 'heard of him, and tho presumption is that ho fell overboard.. Ho was missed about 6 a.m., and a thorough' search of the vessel was mado, but without. result. It was daylight when, the look-out man saw the last of the quartermaster. Tho' weather was fine; thero was very little Bea, and tho wind was blowing fresh from the north-west. .

Whon seen last evening Mr. Scott said that M'Kechnie appeared to bo ia, his usual spirits when ho saw him last. Ho was never of a talkative dispose tion, and was always a willing worker,i M'Kechnio was a single man, aged 28.\ , and a native of Scotland. Ho had bean ' on tiho Monowai off and on for tho last two years. Ho has an uncle residing at Signal Hill, ( Dunedin. A sister andbrother livo in tho same city.