LINER DIVERTED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 720, 21 December 1933, Page 5

LINER DIVERTED

(Press Assn.-

urgent appeal from resipents of pitcairn UNNECESSARY MESSAGE

-By Telegraph — Copyrlght).

Auckland, Wednesday Had it nqt been for an unnecessary S.O.S. message sent out from Pitcairn Island, the motor liner Rangitata would have arrived from Englarid last night instead of this morning. On the way down the Pacific the Rangitata was in radio communication with Pitcairn Island, b]it nothing was contained in the messages to indicate that thpre was any need for the vessel to call there. The Rangitata sent a message that it was not intended to call, and in reply received on S.O.S. message that there was a sick man on the island who needed urgent attention. The Rangitata was then 160 miles off Pitcairn. Her course was altered and she arrived at the island at 11 p.m. on December 10. The magistrate came off in a boat and explained that there was an old resident in need of medicine. This was made up by the ship's doctor and sent ashore. At midnight the Rangitata was Under way again. It was iearned that the Tainui a week* previously had called at the island on a similar mission. Opportunity was taken to bring boatloads of fruit to the Rangitata for sale to the passengers. One of the ship's officers said this morning that while it was pecpgsary in 'the cause of humanity promptly to answer an S.O.S. message, $ behoved those sending put their sigiia'ls not to make unnecessary demands. It was .expensive for a big ship to be diverted1. He was of the opinion that the S.O.S. was sent merely for the reason that the vessel had indieated that she did not inten(d to .call. The New Zealand Shipping Company had been particnlarly ,'go'od to the Pitcairn Islanders. Ships frequently calied, and donations were made of stoi'es.