THE FATE OF THE WAITOTARA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3126, 3 July 1917, Page 4

THE FATE OF THE WAITOTARA

WHOLE OP THE.CBEWAT NOUMEA^ By Telegraph—Press Association. i i Auckland, July 2. The first direct news of the fate 08 the Waitotara reached Auckland to-day. The Waitotara was proceeding to Sydneyi with a cargo of copra aud benzine, and while in mid-ocean a fire, possibly caused by spontaneous combustion, broke out in one o£ the holds, and, although discover* ed early, it rapidly gained a hold and spread -over a great part of the .vessel. The disorganisation usually associated; •with such a disaster at Bea was hapmljl absent, and the manning and dispatcn-. , ing of the boats was carried out without confusion. The captain, who was in hia berth at the time of the alarm, bad no time to dress, and left the ship in hisj pyjamas, losing all his personal effects. The crew were similarly unfortunate, The boats were lowered at the first opportunity, those on the leeward side oE the ship being rowed round to The number/ proved more than enough tqj, accommodate the crew, and the provw; sions proved ample, so that, when theft were picked up twenty-four hours later, by a steamer the men were in 110 dis-i; tress. When the crew arrived at Ixounicathe British Consul billeted them at difj, ferent hotels in the town and provided; them with immediate necessities, Lvery | thing was done to help the men, and a(N, ' cording to the latest advice from Amu' mea they were, awaiting transport ton Sydney. '