Castaways Reported After Vain

Air Search

riIOWARDS the end of February, a X European resident of Misima, East ern Papua, while outside the reef, fishing, with some natives, was over taken by a squall and, when the wea ther cleared, the boat and its occupants had completely disappeared. A search around the adjoining shores gave no trace of them.

When the big flying-boat, after the funeral of Sir Hubert Murray, returned from Port Moresby to Samarai with Mr.

Leonard Murray and Mr. George Aumul ler, its services were enlisted in a_ search for the missing European and his com panions. Fuelling at Samarai, the fly ing-boat thoroughly combed the islands

and reefs of the great archipelago, from Samarai right out to Sud Est Island.

The search occupied two days, but there was no trace of the lost boat.

It subsequently was reported in Syd ney that the castaways had been found safely on an island, far to the north west of their group, about 11 days after their disappearance. They were with out food and water when they were blown away to sea, and must have suf fered great privations.

Gold declared at the Warden’s office, Wau, New Guinea, for the eight months from July 1, 1939, represents £A1,630,207.

B.G.D. had one dredge out of commis sion for repairs during February and Koranga devoted much time to extensive blasting, with a water shortage.

The revenue received by the Govern ment of Tonga during the three months ended September 30, 1939, was £15,604, while the total expenditure was £15,825.

The yacht “Inyala”, which was bought recently by Mr. Theo McGill, of Auck land, after lying in Suva Harbour for several years, and which left Suva on December 2, bound for Auckland, turned up in Noumea 17 days later in a bat tered condition, having survived severe storms. She was fitted with new sails and rigging, and cleared for Auckland, and arrived there in the middle of March. She is to be used by Mr. Mc- Gill for cruising on the New Zealand coast.