Adventurers!

Mixed Party of Young Islanders Run off with Lugger, and End in Gaol

From Our Own Correspondent Rarotonga, Dec. 20.

WHEN the schooner “Tiare Taporo” returned to Rarotonga from the northern islands early in December, the police were waiting to collect six young adventurers —four boys and two girls—whose attempt at an ocean cruise thus came to an early end.

This was not another case of jailbirds “escaping from injustice.” It was just youth in quest of adventure—with the usual thoughtlessness of youth for the inevitable consequences of their rashness.

Four Penrhyn boys decided that they would make a holiday cruise to Honolulu.

They confided their plans to two young girls whom they invited to accompany them. The girls readily agreed.

On the night of November 21, the party met on the beach at Omoka and by means of a fishing canoe, made their way unseen to a pearling lugger, the property of Mr. P. Woonton, which was at anchor in the lagoon. When they were aboard one boy returned the canoe to the shore and swam back to the boat. The anchor was then raised, the sails set and the boat was sailed across the lagoon to one of the far islets where a halt was made to take aboard a supply of coconuts and fill four small drums with fresh water.

WITH preparations for the ocean voy age thus completed, the boat was once more got under way, and in spite of the fact that it was a very dark night, safely navigated through a narrow passage to the open sea. Outside it was found that the sea was rough and the strong wind being unfavourable for Hawaii, it was decided to make an at tempt to reach Samoa.

The party had no charts or instru ments, and it was agreed to keep a course a little south of the setting sun. Although the sea remained rough, good progress was made and land was sighted on Sun day, November 24. It was not known what island this was, but the boat was sailed close in to the reef and some of the people on the shore being recognised by members of the crew, it was realised that this must be Rakahanga (Northern Cooks) —which, in fact, it was. Raka hanga is some 230 miles west of Penrhyn.

All surrounding islands had, of course, been informed by radio of the escapade, and the adventurers were apprehended by the Rakahanga police pending the arrival of the “Tiare Taporo,” which was at nearby Manihiki.

Their voyage having thus been brought to an early—and, fortunately, safe —conclusion, the party was brought on to Rarotonga aboard the schooner. The lug ger was hauled ashore, for safekeeping, at Manihiki.

The authorities in Rarotonga took a lenient view of the adventure, but it was necessary to charge the party with the theft of the boat. All six received sen tences of nine months. The boys are lodged at the gaol and are working out their sentences: but the girls are, in effect, free, and living with relatives in Rarotonga. They will all be returned to their homes on Penrhyn at the first op portunity.

Mr. W. J. E. Eason and Joeli K. Ravai have been appointed members of the Board of Education of Fiji.

Mrs. E. M. Dobson, who lived in Fiji from 1902 until 1934, died in Auckland, NZ, on November 13. Before she married

Mr. E. H. Dobspn, who predeceased her by about 14 years, she was a school teacher at the CSR Co. School at Rarawai.