STILL NOT REPORTED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 48, 19 October 1931, Page 3

STILL NOT REPORTED

By Telegraph—

small vessel seen trying to make shelter in heavy sea FURTHER DISCOVERY ON BEACH

(Press Assn. —

-Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, Saturday. This afternoon the Secretary for Marine, Mr Godfrey. advised that he had received the following telegram from Mr J .0. Harris. who discovered the oil drums believed to have formed part of the deck cargo of the missing m.v. Kotiki. on the beach at Kaihoka. "I have searched the coast northwards from Kaihoka for a distance of five miles. but am unable to proceed further at present owing to the tide. I have recovered four additional oil drums and a small door frame, evidently of a cabin or hatch. Search parties have been organised as required. "Although the fact that no vessel had been reported in difficulties last night, what caused me to attach any importance to the incident was thefact that Mr J. Moffitt, a well-known Rugby referee, and a companion, saw a small vessel closely corresponding in description to the Kotiki in difficulties near Oterangi Bay on Monday afternoon. Mr Moffitt stated that he and his companion were at the Bay on Monday afternoon. About 3.30 he saw a small motor vessel with two masts, a deckhouse and a small funnel aft, zigzagging toward the bay, apparently hunting for shelter. The sea was not particularly rough, there being no more than moderate combers running. "It was the fact that the vessel was making very difficult progress under the conditions that caused them to watch her closely. The vessel appeared to be lightly loaded but at times plunged deeply into the waves The vessel's motor engine could be heard indistinctly and appeared to race at intervals when she rose to the crests of the rollers. "When first sefen the vessel was well out and appeared to come in a certain distance and then he driven out again.. He watched her till about 4.30 p.m.. when she appeared to he passing into smother water towards Ohau Bay. "One of the most disquieting fea-

tures of the incident," said Mr Moffitt, "was that while the vessel was working in towards the bay, it appeared to be caught broadside on by the seas." Mr Moffitt also saw, at about the same time, the Tamahine, which left at 3 p.m. on Monday, and later saw a ship which he thought to be the Hawera, which left Wellington at 5 p.m. on Monday for Patea.