FAMOUS DIVER TO AID SALVAGE

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5311, 25 January 1947, Page 5

FAMOUS DIVER TO AID SALVAGE

'I'ress Assn.—

BROUGHT FROM . SYDNEY RECOVERED GOLD FROM SUNKEN NIAGARA

By Telegravfo—xJopyright.}

WELLINGTON, Last Nightj. A dramatic development. i» the attempts to free the Wahg£rella from Barrett's. Reef, where she has been sfranded since Sunday night, occurred following yesterday afternoon's exaitir ination of the ship. The company decided to engage a famotis 'diver, Mr. John Johnstone, of Melbourne. He arriyed from Sydney by Tasman Empire Air- • ways plane to-day. Mr. Johnstone made his fame as^a. diver for the leading part he took in the world record breaking s&lvage ihat in recovering the Niagara's. gold in 1942. He was chief diver for the United Salvage Propriefary, a Melbourne company, which organised the , _ expedition to find the Niagara, spnk by a mine off the North Auckland coast during the war, and recover the bullion from her strongroom. •;?

On the Niagara job, Mr. Johnstone showed great judgment and . cdol courage that may well he of the greatest value in the problems that may beset him at Barrett's Reef. Mr. Johnstone said that he was leaving all the arrangements to those in charge of salvage at Wellington. He had no>t brought any spepial cquipment with him but he has .made c x*rangements for specialised tools and underwater cutting gear tofbe i'orwarded promptly from Sydney if required. ' - Mr. Johnstone left Auckland by. tKe limited express to-night. ' j Interim Service To Be Run By i Wahine To Sydney WELLINGTON, Last Night. | The Union Steam Ship Company announces that an interim servide between Wellington and Sydney wiil be provided by the Wahine, which will leave Wellington on her initial trip on Friday, February 14, and is to leave Sydney on the following Friday. *' j ' If circumstances perxnit, this fortf nightly sexwice, with slight modifications, will co-ntinue until further notice.