SIR CHARLES SKERRETT

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1929, Page 2

SIR CHARLES SKERRETT

HIS LAST ILLNESS

WELLINGTON, Feb. 27

Further information regarding the cirouinstances connected with the death of Sir Charles Skerrett at sea was supplied by the officers of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s steamer Ruahine on her arrival at Wellington to-day- from Southampton via the Panama canal. At 6.45 p.m. on Feburary 12, when the ship was about 2200 miles from Balboa, and about 4280 miles from Wellington, Captain Urqulmrt received a radio message from the C. and D. liner Port Denison, bound from Wellington to London, stating that Sir Charles Skerrett was ill, and requested that the Ruahine should meet her so that he might be transferred for return to New Zealand. Both ships then altered their course to approach each other, hut at 11 p.m a second radio message from the Port Denison stated that Sir Charles Skerrett was much worse, and that his condition was too had to allow of his being moved to the Ruahine. Early in the morning of Wednesday, February 13, a radio message from the Port Denison flashed to the Ruahine the sad news that Sir Charles Skerrett was dead. This information was received with the deepest of regret on board the New Zealand-bound ship. At 7.30 p.m. the ships passed each other, the Port Denison being hull down from the Ruahine. As there was nothing further to be done tue ships kept on their respective ways. At the time the Ruahine was well out of wireless range with New Zealand, and there were no ships through which the sad news could be sent to New Zealand. At the earliest opportunity Captain Urquhart sent a radio message, which was relayed tlirough the Chatham Islands station to Wellington.