DAYS OF PERIL.
YACHT AMONG REEFS, A THRILLING VOYAGE. ADVENTURES IN RAATA. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Brisbane, July 14. Westlake, Mills, and Smith, charged at Rockhampton Court with stealing the yacht Raata, confessed to the theft. Westlake, who was the leader of the exploit, in a statement, said he had been at sea since the age of 13. Describing the voyage from Auckland he said the most thrilling part was a couple of days spent on the Great Barrier Reef. They were in the greatest danger as they had only to touch and go to the bottom. He kept both his companions on deck for 13 hours in the afternoon and at night tacking about in different directions and avoiding reefs.
At 2 o’clock in the morning Mills was exhausted, and had to turn in, and the others kept watch on deck until daylight, and had a hurried meal in the cabin, and then returned to the deck at daybreak. They passed the reef 20 feet astern, and saw another 200 yards to windward. Throughout the day it was nothing but ceaseless watching, and in the afternoon they just missed striking a reef eight miles in extent. After being 48 hours without sleep they negotiated the remaining reefs. A statement, signed by Mills, was produced in court. It stated that he joined the Raata at Westlake’S invitation and Smith afterwards joined. The yacht was repainted after leaving Auckland and went to Whitianga, Mercury Bay, where they robbed a store, securing a stock of provisions, clothing and tobacco. Westlake then told his companions he had stolen the yacht and intended sailing for South America to engage in fishing. The police gave evidence that Westlake first refused to give them a statement and afterwards made verbal statements taking the whole blame on himself. He added that if he had not taken the yacht off the New Zealand coast they could not have done anything to him, as he had her leased for two years. On two charges of stealing the yacht and stealing provisions from a store the men were remanded to Brisbane to await the arrival of the New Zealand police escort.
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Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1922, Page 5
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360DAYS OF PERIL. Taranaki Daily News, 15 July 1922, Page 5
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