MUCH OVERDUE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1940, Page 4

MUCH OVERDUE

STEAMER HOLMWOOD FROM CHATHAMS MAY HAVE BEEN CAUGHT BY RAIDER. TWENTY-NINE PERSONS ON BOARD (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. An official statement issued on Saturday afternoon by the Prime Minister’s Department ran:— “The Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, regrets having to announce that a small local vessel, the Holmwood (formerly the Tees), is considerably overdue, and no information of any kind is available regarding the cause of her delay in reaching port. It is, of course, possible that the vessel may have broken down, or she may have encountered the raider known to have been off the New Zealand coast.

“All possible steps are being taken, and a further announcement will be made immediately any news of this vessel is obtainable.” It was announced by the Prime Minister's Department late last night that no further information was available regarding the British vessel which was attacked by a raider 400 miles off the New Zealand coast, nor of the Holmwood. Searches made so far had been without result. The passengers by the Holmwood are: Mr. and Mrs. D. McMahon and their two children. Mr. McMahon has been radio superintendent and postmaster at Waitangi, Chatham Islands, for about four years, and was on transfer back to New Zealand. Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Idiens and their two children. Mr. Idiens is a Christchurch man who has been in business as a builder and contractor at the islands for many years. Mr. and Mrs. D. James and their child, who were returning to New Zealand. Mr. James has been working on a sheep station at Kaingaroa. Miss C. Hough. Miss Hough is an islander.

Captain James Miller, Christchurch, was in command of the Holmwood, and other officers were: —Mr. A. Campbell (Wellington), chief officer; Mr. C. Clarke (Wellington), second officer; Mr. F. Abernethy (Wellington), chief engineer; Mr. H. F. Le Gren (Christchurch), second engineer; Mr. G. R. Clayton (Dunedin), third engineer. Members of the crew were: Messrs. J. A. Lumberg (Wellington), cook; M. N. McMillan (Wellington), steward; J. Ellison (Wellington), P. J. Stiles (Lyttelton). F. Johnson (Wanganui), D. McLeod (Lyttelton), T. L. Longun (Wellington), all able seamen; S. C. Waterhouse (Christchurch), D. Cornish (Greymouth), J. Finnerty (Lyttelton), T. Allen (Wellington), firemen. The Holmwood is fitted with wireless, and three of the officers are competent operators. No news was received from the vessel, however, after she had left the Chatham Islands on Monday morning on her run of about 450 miles to Lyttelton. She was carrying the following cargo; 1375 sheep, 77 bales of wool, one horse, several tons of general cargo; and The Holmwood was commissioned in Wellington.