THE MISSING LAUNCH ARRIVES

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2147, 13 May 1914, Page 8

THE MISSING LAUNCH ARRIVES

WEATHER BOUND ON KAPITI ISLAND , .ALL HANDS SAFE A SEARCH PARTY STILL AT SEA Yesterday morning - tho Superintend-ent-'p,f'.'the Police received advice'from Paromata, intimating that a party comprising Messrs. Alfred E. Thomson (an employee, of Messrs: Littlejohn and Son, jewellers, Wellington), John Casey (of Messrs. Casey, Bros., plumbers, Upper. Willis Street), and Norman' Cook (of-ijohnsonville) had left Kapiti Island at 3.45 p.m...on, Sunday in an oil launch, 'bound for' Parerhata' and had not sinco been seen. Mr. M'Kenzie and his party (fishermen) 'arrived at Paremata.from Kapiti on, Monday night and stated, .tjiat ,thq last., ;tha,t : ,they. saw of tha launch was when it had .covered about half the distance between the mainland and the island, and was wrapped in tho night. Tho polico. at Foxton, Levin, Otaki, Porinia, and Johnsonvillo were cn"gaged all day yesterday in searching tho beach, but their efforts'were without result.-: '." '". .; - .' Considerable -,- anxiety for. the,, safety of tho party was felt until about 9 o'clock last night,; when-.- the .police received a telephone message;.to. say that the launch had arrived safely at Paremata and reported "All ; welil" Nothing further- was known in the city until the arrival of the last train from tho. Manawatu lino at a quarter to eleven o'clock. Mr.' Casey, ono of tho crew of .the launch, was a passpnger |by tho train and was able to givp an account of' flib' trip. ' 'He and his two companions haVe 'hadv considerable experience in' tho locality, and, as thev ; wero in a substantial-launch, they wore never in any real 'danger. Thev. left Paremaia'foV'-Kapiti.lsland on Sundav morning and landed., at the north end of tho island, where also were Mr, M'Kenzio and party.-- After making a good haul of butter-fish, they set out .on. ,tlie: ■ ''return'. shortly .before .- four -o'clock,-• • and battled against ..a -rough sen for nearlv three hours.: By that time the launch' was near the mainland about half-way between Waikailac aiid Paekakariki; butasthero wasJ'a defect, in the. machinery it w.a's.'decided to.run.for Kapiti. Mr... Casey states, that they,could have' reached tho mainland:' but would have run the risks .of wreckinc; the. launch. Aided by a favourable-tidcythoy- were ablo to put' - into, the "caretaker's bay about 7 o'clpclc.on Sunday night. Comfortablo quarters rind ample provisions were obtainable, until'such time as the weather' should moderate". All day Mon- ' day the southerly gale raged with unabated fury, and there was no thought of putting to sea. • yesterday the conditions seemed to be getting 'worse, and high seas raged until 3 o'clock "in the afternoon, when a sudden change tool;' place.'' A little later the white crests of,the waves began to disappear, and the homeward voyage was resumed at 4 o'clock. After a cold,; unevontful run across'the water Paremata was readied about 8.30 D.m. ' Mr. Cnsey then caught the train for Wellington, his companions remaining hnhirid. Had the M'Kenzio party been seen coming down from Kapiti on Monday, Mr. Casey says they'would, have signalled by means of jv lire .on tho beach, and thus-(alloyed all; anxiety. Unfortunately nothing was seen of the launch thqrrjvnnd still-more unfortiinato was it that Mr. M'Kenzie should have gone out. on a'search last evening shortly before the missing boat arrived. When the search of tho beach yesterday failed to reveal any sign of wreckage, Mr. M'Kenzie was convinced that the party was safe on Kapiti, but thought they might bo in need of assistance, and decided, to nut off to the island again. In tho dnrlcnoss last.evening the two launches failed to siVht one another, and in consequence the search party would be ont n all night on a fruitless mission. * ' .