Inquiry Into Awahou
p. 87 · Read in the full issue
Loss A
Matter For Fiji
Letter to the Editor THERE is considerable interest here in the failure of the Aus tralian navigation authorities to make any official inquiry into the loss, between Sydney and Lord Howe Island, of the small Islands ship Awahou, which was well known here, and in ports northward. There have been persistent statements that the ship was an unsafe ship under certain conditions, and a marine in quiry would have cleared up some of these points.
I am, etc.,
Jps
Auckland. NZ.
On receipt of this note, the PIM made a formal inquiry at the Aus tralian Department of Navigation.
We were informed that the Awahou was registered in Fiji, not in Aus tralia, and Australia, therefore, can not undertake such an inquiry except at the direct request of the Fiji authorities.
The Navigation spokesman added that the Awahou had been closely examined by his officers before she left Sydney on her last voyage, and she was classed as completely sea worthy, and the stowage of her cargo was in all respects seaworthy. There was no fear in relation to her stability. Reports received from Lord Howe Island indicated that the weather in that vicinity, just before the last radio message was received from the Awahou . was worse than had been known for years, and the theory was that a huge wave had caught the little ship broadside, and overwhelmed her. It could have happened to any little ship.