A PHANTOM SHOAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1916, Page 8

A PHANTOM SHOAL.

SAID TO BE OFF WAITARA. HIXEMOA'S VAIX SEARCH. (From Our Own Co-.'respondent.) Wellington, Feb. 17. The Government steamer Hinemoa, which arrived liack at Wellington this morning from her round trip to the northern lighthouses, again searched in vain on Wednesday fov a reported dangerous shoal oil' Waitaia. Captain Bollons is now somewhat inclined to consider the menace to shipping as a phantom, and there will be no further quest Foi tile elusive patch.

In conversation with your correspondent, Captain Bollons described tlic method adopted in attempting to locate tlie sheal. A bar of iron weighing a ton, and mcasiring 4Oft. in length, was flung horizontally under the Hinemoa, at right angle? to the heel and about amidships. The bar was lowered to a depth of eight fathoms (48ft.). The vessel's big anchor was also lowered to a depth of ]2'/ s fathoms (7.5 ft,). The vessel then steamed showly backwards and forwards, dragging tlie bar and anchor in such a manner that if a shoal existed it would be immedyitely detected. Captain Bollons bad placed' two buoys, one in twenty-five fathoms of water, on the inside of the reported position of the shoal, and the other on tlie outside in thirty-six fathoms. These buoys served as marks to guide the vessel in her "trawling" operations, which lasted from eight o'clock in tlie morning till fou- o'clock in the afternoon. Kothing but a clear bottom with mftd and shells was found. Owing to essential details with regard to the estimated position of tlie patch being omitted from the statements made by those who reported its presence to thoMarine Department, tlie work of finding the obstacle has been rendered most difficult.

Old seamen who have experience of that pa-t of the coast have stated to Captain Bollons that they have not seen any sign of a ''break" to indicate the presence of tlie shoal. It was first reported about fifteen years ago, and at wide interval* two or'three times since. The Hinemoa has made four or five ineffectual attempts to discover it.