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THE ESCAPED GERMAN PRISONERS

REPORTED CAPTURE OF. A SCOW

THE CHANCES OF RE-ARREST By Telegraph—Press Association. Auokland, Decomber 18. It.hns been reported that the Germans who escaped from Motuihi Island j on Thursday evening captured the scow j Moa, the property of the LeykndO'Bi'ien Timber Co., off Mercury Bay, Ooromandol Peninsula._ Tho facts, however, aro not yet verified, and it has not been definitely established that the Germans were the party that boarded the launch. So far as information is available, it is learned that the crew of another scow saw a launch, not actually identified as the commandeered craft Pearl, hold up the Moa and board her, the latter immediately putting about and sailing on a south-easterly course, apparently in the direction of the Alderman Islands. The scow left Omakoroa, ten miles from Tauranca, at noon on Saturday last, for Auckland. She had a fair wind as far as Capo Oolville. and under ordinary circumstances should have arrived in Auckland en Sunday evening or Monday morning at tho latest. Captain Bourke, an ex-Royal Navy man, was in charge, withV crew of five. The Moa did not hsve a big supply of provisions on board, as the regulations do not compel coastal vessels to carry reserve provisions. Apparently the crow of the Moa remained on board. It is presumed that the capture was made on Saturday afternoon, as another vessel is reported to have seen a scow, not actually identified as the Moa, but of the same build and rig, at seven o'clock on Sunday evening. The captured scow is 94 feet in length, of a gross tonnage of 127 tons, and a not tonnage of 99. The Moa was the biggest scow trading regularly to Auckland with timber from the Tauranga district. At the time of tho presumed capture she had a full cargo of timber, totalling some 80.000 feet, and valued at about £500. The Moa is stated to have been in splendid order, with sails in perfect condition, as she had been completely overhauled about «x months ago. Her speed, with a p;ood fair wind would ' be ' about ten knots, and she would be quite capable of undertaking a trip to Sydney or any of the islands. Though she has on board a donkey-engine for handlinc cargo, she has no auxiliary power, and this fact should tend ft mako her capture most easy. . It is reDorted from one source that" she has taken the launch on board, and from another that the launch has boon picked up by the scow that first sighted her after she had been captured.

It is confidently anticinated by a number of people that if the Germans did board the Moa there should now be no difficulty in effecting a recapture, but as against that it has to be home in mind that not very Ions; ago a vessel that was practically a derelict, and whose general position was supposed to have been known, drifted about for over forty days before she w?« finnllv picked up. The Alderman Islands are a group of Basaltic islets, with some outlying roclts like stumps of trees, fourteen miles E.S.E. from Mercury T3ny, and nine from tho nearest mainland, Tairua Head.

STATEMENT BY MR. MASSES 7 . ' (By Telegraph— Social Corrr»ro'',<len»,.l Ohakune, December 18. During the function at Ohakune today, the Right Hon. W. F. Massey made particular reference to the escape of the See Adler's crew. ■ Never since the war broke out, he said, had sucli a regrettable incident occurred, and though he must refrain from expressing any opinion respecting their getting away, in view of the procedings being taken, he' hoped that the blame would be put on the right shoulders. He sincerely hoped tho German escapees would be caught. The affair should he a lesson to the people, not only of this, but other countries, to see that greater precautions were taken in future to eneuro a more effective guard being taken over enemy military prisoners, so as to prevent any similar recurrence.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19171219.2.48

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 73, 19 December 1917, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
669

THE ESCAPED GERMAN PRISONERS Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 73, 19 December 1917, Page 6

THE ESCAPED GERMAN PRISONERS Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 73, 19 December 1917, Page 6

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