A MISSING STEAMER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8535, 13 September 1907, Page 5

A MISSING STEAMER.

MONOWAI OVERDUE,

By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, September 12. Considerable anxiety is felt here owing to the non-arrival of the Monowai at Sydney. The vessel left here at 4.45 o'clock, on Friday afternoon. The officers of the Wimmera, which arrived here yesterday from Sydney sighted a steamer which they are morally certain was the Monowai at 5 o'clock on Monday morning about 500 miles from Sydney. The only reason of the Monowai's detention that can be suggested is that some mishap has occurred. The Union Company's new ocean-going tug Terawhiti, which recently arrived from Home was ordered today to prepare to put to sea in quest of the missing steamer. Coal bunking for a long voyage was effected, and provisions for a month are being put aboard. This evening a crew of nineteen have signed on and the Terawhiti is expected to get away by midnight. She is to speak Farewell Spit in the morning to ascertain whether news of the Monowai's safety has been received in New Zealand. If not she proceeds on the usual course for about 900 miles, and will then zigzag to Sydney. The Union 'Company's Sydney office yesterday sent out a tug in search of the Monowai, and the steamer Kaiapoi left Sydney this evening on a similar errand.

Received September 13, 1.20 a.m. SYDNEY, September 12. At 11.30 p.m., the hour of closing the New Zealand cable, there was no sign of the Monowai, overdue from Wellington. Very strong westerly head winds, which prevailed for several days, may, it is thoujl t, be accountable for the delay, but the Union' Company, on the assumption that a mishap has happened to her machinery, has arranged to despatch the steamer Kaiapoi and the tugs Hero and Champion, the latter leaving from Newcastle, in search tomorrow morning. The Monowai was last reported by the Wimmera, which sighted her on Monday 400 miles from Sydney; then all was well.