THE MISSING STEAMER KAKANUI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2897, 7 February 1891, Page 2

THE MISSING STEAMER KAKANUI.

{|:Y Tlil.KliKAl'H. —PRESS ASSOCIATION). Bli'Kl'', Wednesday. TIIK Government steamer liinc.noa arrived from the Macquarii: Islands at half-past six p.m. to-day. Captain Fairchild reports that the steamer lYakauui arrived there on the 2nd of January, and left again oil the ord, taking awav eichtman from the island, and leaving Air Mellish (the mari'ifor), and his wife. Two days after she left the Macquarios a fearful westerly gale was experienced there, aud it is most probable that the K -ikauui foundered ir that gale.

The people on the .Macquaries had plenty of rice, !iour, and biscuits, and also eat the penguin's eggs, and part of the birds. Mr Mellish reiused to come away in the Kakanui, preferring t> await Llie arrival of the Gratitude, ketch, from Invercargill. A thorough search has been made of the Auckland, Snares, Solanders, Traps, and all outlyinp islands, but uo trace of any sort has been found. The gale experienced at the Macquaries after the Kakanui left was so violent that, casks of oil were blown along the beach and u hut blown down. Captain Faircluld, fears tiiat it is only too likely that the Kakanui experienced that galo aud foundered, as when she left tho .Macquarrics she was very deep, and had apparently a good stock ol coals on board.

The' Ilineroon's news _lias cast quite a ulooni over tin- place. No onu ever dreamt that: (lie Kakatini had made such a smart passage down. As to the statement that she was deep in the water, that can scarcely ho correct, as she oulv had about <55 ton-: of coal on board, aud about, 25 raii.it have been consumed on tue trip down. She ought, therefore to have been iu tho best possible trim. The probability of so many lives being sacrificed for what proves to have been ail unfounded rumour that tho people on the Macquavies were starving, has caused a fearful sensation here. I.NVKllOilioir.l., Thursday.

The Invotcarjjill Borough Council have passed a resolution urging oti the governmout tin) necessity ot -ending tho 111 nemoa to the C'nir.iiboll and other islands to lonic for the Kakanui or those who wore on board. It appears that it was not the men ot the shore party at tho Macquaries who made the remark that if fchey got back to New Zealand nobody would ever catch thern going to the island again, but members of the crew of the Kakitnui. Thii seems to indicate that although .she made a quick passage down they iiad seen enough to convince them that the vessel was not .suitable for such a voyage. Dcni'.din', Thursday. Mr F. K. Chapman telegraphed to Captain Fairchild with reference to searching the Antipodes for the Kakanui, and has received in reply the following:—"' 1 don t think searching the Antipodes would be of the slightest use. I would recommend searching the Campbell Island, and we would call at the Auckland* again when passing, but we searched the Auckland* well 011 the "sth and iMilli ; went into every buy, and went all round the elilt's, but the Kakanui may have got there since." Steps are being taken to raise funds for the relief of the families on board the vessel, many of thom being in destitute circumstances. Nautical experts here s\v that the Kakanui was quite sea-worthy for the trip, and the local Lloyd.-;' surveyor is of the same opinion. The accusation publicly made against her owr.ers of avarice is absolutely without foundation, as they received HloU for the trip, which is exceedingly reasonable. Wklunt.tox, Thursday. The Government have decided to send the Hinemoa to tho Campbell Islands to search for tin missing steamer Kakanui. The vessel was insured for iJIoOO in home offices, and £300 in the National. She was valued at between L'2ooo and t'^ooo.