A BOAT MISSING.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 204, 16 June 1914, Page 1

A BOAT MISSING.

Two Young Men Lost.

No Sign for a Month-

Warship Search Proposed.

Anxious Waiuku Parent.

Writing on Friday morning test cur Auckland morning contemporary says:— Strong hopes are still held for the safety of the fishing boat Andrew and her crew of two men, though no trace of the vessel has been found since she was seen in a squall off Cape Brett towards midnight on Sunday. May 17th. Believirg that a well-found boat, capably handled, wouH have survived the gale, friends of the missing men are endeavouring to arrange for a systematic search, and thev are row in communication with the Minister for Customs with a view to securing the assistance of the warships in New Zealand waters.

The missing men are Kussell Howe, 28 years old, ot Parca Bay, near Kussell, and a nephew, William Nicholson, 18 years old, a ton of Mr Alexander Nicholson, of Waiuku. Howe has had a gocd deal of experience in handling boat?, and Nicholton has some practical experience in seamanship, havirg mad? one trip to Melbourne in a tailing vessel. Both of them aie strong men, and were in good health when they left Auckland a month ago.

AMPLE STOKE OF PKOVISIONS. On several occasions the Andrew has been described as a launch, but she is a lirst-class cutter-rigged fishing boat, 26ft Ion,?, nearly fulldecked, and furushed with a tarpaulin for her ccckpit. She.is the pro perty of Mr Charles F. Gerlach, of Paroa Bay, and was hired by his neighbour, Howe, the latter proposing to use the vessel for fishing in the Bay of Islands, with Nicholson, as an assistant in his enterprise. They proposed to make Paroa Bay their headquarters, and as the settlement is some distance from Russell, judged it economical to secure a store of provisions in Auckland. During his inquiries Mr Alexander Nicholson has ret been able to ascertain from whom the stores were purchased, but he understands the stock taken in the boat was adequate for two men for fully three months. LAST SIGHT OF THE BOAT.

The boat left Auckland fur the Bay of Islands on May 14th, and about 8 p.m. on the following Sunday was off Cape Brett in a neavy gale. Sheltering under the land at the same time wa3 the launch of Mr George H. Cook, of Kussell, a relative of the Andrew's crew. Jn a letter to Mr Nicholson he states that he did not learn until his return to Kussell who was in the boat. According to the lightkeepers at Capo Brett the lights of the Andrew were not seen after a Squall of wind and rain which blew down towards midnight. " 1 am strongly of opinion that the boat lost her sails somewhere between Piercy Island and Bird Bock,'' writes Mr Cook, who has had many years' experience in all kinds of sailing craft. " I am sure that she was at anchor, and that they either pulled the anchor up or slipped the rope and got under way, for the wind and sea only could not have put the boat where I last saw the lights. I saw first one coloured light and then the other, indicating that the boat had tacked. When the lights disappeared 1 was not concerned for their safety. I thought they were making an effort to get into Kussell. which was not impossible for a boat like the Andrew, properly found and well handled, although the squall was very vicious, and altogether it was a very dirty night." NO LIKELIHOOD OF SWAMPING. Mr Cook explains that as his attention had to bo given to his own boat, ho did not watch the Andrew closely, but he was certain three tacks were made after the boat left her anchorage, so that her crew had ample time to test the strength of the squalls, and to lake proper precautious against being eapsi/.ed or tilled. Ho adds that there was uu sea that could have swauiped a boat of the Andrew's class, and no trace has been found of the boat iu the vicinity, though a careful search has been made. The fact that the boat was missing was not nported till the following Thursday, and next day Mr Nicholson telegraphed to the Minister for Customs asking that a search should bo instituted. The boat had an auxiliary engine, but it was probably out of order, as it was uol used oh Cape Brett. It was, therefore,

presumed that the little v<"-■- I had been driven into the open sea, prob-

ably beyond the courses usually fallowed by shipping. A rc-ijue.-.t was made-by the Miuisiiv t-i masters <>l vessels thai they should keep a lookout for tin.' missing boat, and according to a telegram which Mr Nicholson received on Wednesday the Minister also proposed to the Cabinet that airungemonts should be made with H.M.S. Psyche to undertake a search. NAVAL OFFICERS liEPoRT.

The matter has been placed 1> - foru Captain 1!. T. J. Marsha l . 1 . commander of the Psycho, which 1 " now retjtting in Calliope Pock, an" his reply was forwarded to Mr Nicholson yestotduy. IL> states that the Psvehe will be realy for sen on June 21st. "If it is still desired," Captain Marshall continued. " it is proposed that the Pyramus and the Philomel should then meet her oil North Cape and carry out a search for the missing boat. It the inissiug boat is still afloat, she will now have been subjected to oil-shore winds and cm rents for a month, and may very well now be 20D < r 2-">0 miles north-east of the Great Harrier, and it is considered that a search by one ship would be of no Use whatever. If, on the other hand, she had broken up, her wreckage would, of course, have drifted elf shore in the same manner.''

"In view of the senior naval olllccr's report.'' the Minister added, " 1 do not think anything can be done. - ' Another telegram was, however, sent to the Minister hy*Mr Nicholson last week, urging him to institute a search immediately, as those who are acquainted" with the power of such craft to withstand rough weather believe that the hoat may still be alloat. A suggestion was made by Mr Nicholson that H.M.S, Pyrunius, which is now at Akaroa, might bo despatched to the northern waters, and that 11.M.5. Philomel and the State steamer Xutanekai should be asked to make a search on their return t) New Zealand from Rarotonga, where both vessels have been engaged in connection with the Governor's tour of the Cook Group. LATEtv. lo regard to the missing fishing boat Andrew, Mr A. Nkholson, ut Waiuku (thj father of the youth William Nicholson, who was on the boat , has received a telegram from the Minister for Marine (Hon. F. M. B. Fiaher staling that arrangements are ncv in hand fur the warships Psyche, Philomel, anil Pryamus, aid the Government Eteanur Tutanekai, to j -in in a thorough search for the fcoKt at the earlhst pessib'u date. The mailboat winch left Rsictonga for Wellington en Thursday last has also been instructed to keep a sharp lookout. The Minister stales that no iirort will be spared to make the search a thorough one.