Cutter Lost on Reef in Fiji

Suva, Dec. 1.

THE auxiliary cutter, Island Queen Lailai, owned by Burns, Philp (South Sea) Co. Ltd., Levuka, sank within 15 minutes of striking the Horseshoe Reef, Nairai (80 miles north-east of Suva) early on November 23. Eleven members of the crew and two passengers got clear in the ship’s boat.

At midnight, the captain judged he was near Koro light, but heavy rain was fall ing. At 2.30 a.m., they found they were almost upon Horseshoe Reef. Unable to turn in time, the Island Queen Lailai struck with both sails up and the engine running. , There was a heavy sea and the lifeboat was nartly filled with water when the 13 people were picked up by Mr. Jack Mor ris, in his cutter, Fetumoana, at 4.30 a.m.

The Island Queen Lailai. whose masts and after-housing can be seen below water, was carrying 400 tons of copra, with s:me timber and empty oil-drums. Gil bertese divers have gone to investigate.

The 42 ft. motor ketch, Waihape, in charge of owner-skipper Johnny Wray, arrived in Auckland on November 16, after a five-months’ cruise in the Tonga archi pelago. Johnny Wray is an Auckland yachtsman who has sailed his own little ships oVer thousands of miles of the South Pacific. He built the Waihape himself m 1948, and went off to the Islands in her last June, alone. He was nearly lost in a severe gale off the Kermadecs, but es caped with some damage and loss of gear.

He brought back with him a young Ton gan, Charles Hansen, who helped him to work the ketch.