THE DRIFTING LIFEBELTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 December 1918, Page 4

THE DRIFTING LIFEBELTS.

AN-.-UNEXPLAINED MYSTERY, Forty-four of the lifebelts which, havt. been found on ll'f beach, extending from Okato to Kaliotu, during the last few days, were on Saturday sent ill to Mr Kyre, Collector of Customs, bj Constable OCeiil. On arrival they were examined by Mr. £yrt. All appear to be 'n a very good state of preservation and have evidently not been in the water very long They are not all of one design. All save one are nu'de of cork> the exception being of some other material the nature oi which has not, been ascertained. The majority bear nonjarks of identification, but nine of .them bear in black lettering tha letters S.G.T.M., and underneath is the word MarseilleThree of these, in addition, have the words Formosa Marseille. One lifebelt bears the numbers 44C in black and a Maltese cross in red. Another i» pencilmarked Crow weather, and another W.E. Another has the lettering R.Afrf.C. and *'ie iiama A. A. 'Roberts, and also bears a number. One bears the st#iijg ".Warranto.! by the Board of Trade" Constable;'o ! Sefll bna ten moru lifebelts, which will be sent in, and ii.i has been informed that 20 others ltave been pjdted. up. Tha Collector oi. Customs has beer, in eommimieation with the Naval Adviser, who, states that ta# letters. S.'G.T.M. stand for Sooiete Generals Transporta, Maritime. .-There is a boat nantfd Formosa belonging ..to. thg Messagerics Maritime* Company, but »h« has not traded in these waters. It 'is considered 'that they may have been in a case that was jvßshect overboard frotj| some vessel, or possibly tlioy ihny have come from the wreck of the ill-fated Port Kemhln.

It is stated thai, a large shoal of fish iff as washed up cu tlje ,heach n«|r Rahotu on Saturday.