Nother Cook Is. Vessel

Lost

HHE converted Fairmile cargo- L and-passenger vessel Mahurangi, which has been operating in le Cook Islands inter-island trade nee February, 1948, foundered veral miles off Aitutaki on Feb lary 27.

The vessel apparently sprang a rious leak which her pumps could )t handle. All her crew got safely ihore and a part of the cargo of nation gasoline in drums was ved.

Mahurangi, purchased by Mr. . R. Jenkins, of Auckland, after ; had disposed of his former hooner New Golden Hind (later ink in French Oceania waters), is first fitted out as a motor yacht. l that capacity she made one )yage from Auckland to Tonga id Fiji. There she was chartered i a trading craft and operated r a while in the Fiji inter-island ade. Less than a year later, she as chartered to Mr. D. C. Brown, Rarotonga, for the Cook Islands ade, and has since carried mainly OP shell from Manihiki to Raro nga, and copra from other ands.

Frequently in trouble with her igines, she has figured in several arine incidents, involving assist ice from other craft.

After lying idle at Avarua, Raro nga, for a long time with engine ouble, the vessel narrowly escaped randing there recently when she turned from a voyage to Mangaia, t engines failing whan near the ef.

Mahurangi has been skippered by Mr. John Blakelock, well-known in Apia and Papeete, during most of her time in the Cooks.