WRECK OF RANGI

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 1, 16 January 1937, Page 9

WRECK OF RANGI

Press Assoeiation.

Desolate Scene From Ciiits Next Morning TUG^S FIGHT WITH SEA

Bv Telecnaph —

AUCKLAND, January 15. It was a desolate scene this morning on the cliffs above Winstone's Cove, where the scow Rangi was wrecked. The storm had abated somewliat, but there was still a strong gale blowing and on the rocks below huge grey-green coanb-. ers were breaking, throwing showers of spray which was whipped by the wind to spatter watchers on the cliffs above. In the water below scraps from the dinghy were floating and a tragic reminder of the f ateful night, the hody of the cook, Charlie de Paire, was lying on the ledge of rock where it had heen left in the early- morning. It had been impossible to carry it up the cliff-f ace, so those who had fo'und it had lifted it to the ledge of rock out of reach of the sea and had tied it there.

Men were still watching the sea and searching the coast-line for a trace of the other three men, but at mid-day there was no further discovery. Broken spars and wreekage, presumably from the ill-fated scow, were sighted thie morning at Whangararoa Peninsula. Three pieces of wreekage were sighted later from Tiri Tiri floating about 3J miles south-west of the island. The boy Woodroffe was m a semiconscious condition when found on the beaeh at Winstone's Cove, and even this morning he could remember little of the details of the night 's happening and nothing of what had happened to him after the dinghy capsized. It is possible, however, that he had about him oue lifebelt that was taken from the scow into the dinghy. It, too, was found at the Cove this morning along with some wreekage of the dinghy. This morning Mr W. D. Woodroffe, the father of the boy, was informed that his son was saie and went over to Mr Percy Winstone's home at the Cove, where the boy had been lodged during the night. In response to the scow Rangi 's 8,ppeal for assistance, which was flashed by Morse lamp to the Mt. Victoria signal station by the scow Altair, the Auckland Harbour Board 's tug Te Awhina put to sea at 10.45 last night under the command of Captain Probert. As soon as the tug was clear of North Head she encountered the fqll force of the gale. Some heavy seas crashed aboard and, although all hatches and skylights were closed, a considerable amount of water found its way below and affected the electrical installation. Some lights went out, while others continued to burn after the electricity had been switched off from them. It . . was believed aboard the Te Awhina that the scow had foundered at her anchorage but that some of the crew_ might be adrift in the dinghy. Finding no sign of the scow or the log cargo which she was reported to have jettisoned, the Te Awhina sought a pheltered anchorage close in to Rangitoto and remained there from 2.15 a.m. until 4 a.m. This spell gave her crew a badly-needed opportunity to reeuperate as they had been battened down in the stolcehold and engine room and had been almost suffocated. At 4 a.m. the tug returned to Rakiuo and again circled the island.