THE GALE IN WEST AUSTRALIA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 232, 29 March 1912, Page 5

THE GALE IN WEST AUSTRALIA

HOPE ALMOST ABANDONED. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Perth, March 28. A report from Cossack shows that the town suffered little damage during the cyclone, but fences were blown down, and iron telegraph poles snapped. The lugger Mary H. Shaw was wrecked on Lewis Island. Th? crew swam ashore and lived on shell .'1 «h and a bag of flour for four days before they were rescued.

A large fleet of luggers and steamers is proceeding to patrol the coast and neighboring islands in the hope of discovering signs of the Koombana. One of the most experienced navigators on the coast is of opinion that ths wind and tide combined' would carry tho Koombana on the ftowley Shoals, a treacherous coral reef 120 miles west of Port Hedland. In that case she would probably not last long. If the Koombana ran before the wind she should have been reported before this. The following Fremantle passengers are supposed to be aboard the Koombana: Capt. Parson, Messrs. Davies, Simpson, Forrest, C. Piper, G. Piper.. Slade, Perkins, Dalton, Hayes, Spark. Purcell, Poor, Harper, Rustle, Milne, \V. H. Smith, Pitcher, Clinch, Main, Cowan, Craigie, Taylor, Freney, Evans, W. Davis, Baker, Martin, Hereford, Green, Smith, Vasey, McSwain, McKibbon, Viles, Goodhart, Doyle, Baker, McRoubble. Captain Allen is in command. THE KOOMBANA STILL MISSING. THE LONG ARM OF COINCIDENCE. Received 29, 1.35 a.m. Perth, March 28. , There is no sign of the Koombana. The Government is arranging for an elaborate search and is negotiating for the charter of the small steamer Una, equipped for ( a month's cruise, to traverse the seas between Montebello Island and 'the Rowley Shoals. Attention is drawn to the fact that it is exactly a year since the company's steamer Yongala was posted as missing. The general manager of the company believes that the Koombana has broken down.