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Yachts And Yachtsmen

In Polynesia

SOME official interest is being shown in the voyagings of the attractive yacht New Golden Hind, now thought to be somewhere between Tahiti and Hawaii.

A few months ago, she was sold at auction by the New Zealand Government, and purchased by Mr. Athol Rusden, who had just sold his Pacific-cruising yacht Lady Sterling. With Mr. Ron Baker an Auckland musician and a crew of eight young Americans and New Zealanders, Mr. Rusden sailed the Hind out of Auck land, to the Cook Islands, where he picked up 400 cases of oranges for Tahiti.

This constituted trading; and officials claim that the Hind was not registered as a trading vessel. There appear to be other official complications.

Prom Papeete the Hind has sailed to Honolulu, carrying a crew wherewith to bring back to Tahiti the 135 ft. motor cruiser Tearama, which Mr. Cornelius Crane (American millionaire who has settled in Tahiti) proposes to use in the new tourist trade between Hawaii and French Oceania. But now the Papeete officials are inquiring urgently about the Hind—something about her “papers.”

The Tearama was formerly the German brigantine Vega and has a powerful Diesel motor.

The Fiji yacht Siren, chartered from Captain Grey (now a resident of Kawau Island, near Auckland) is doing well around the Cook Islands —plenty of shell, and fast trips. dagger and Harvey’s converted American yacht Ornant was damaged slightly in a boisterous voyage from Fiji to Auckland.

But she left Auckland, spick and span, for Rarotonga in June, under Captain McLeod (ex-Huia, ex-Le Reta).