For Missing "Inspire"

Cook Is. Vessel Stolen

Petrol Shortage Delays Search

Messages from the Cook Islands on October 8 indicate that an RNZAF Sunderland was unable to undertake search for the stolen vessel Inspire because there was no petrol at Aitutaki for refuelling; and there was no petrol at Aitutaki because Inspire was loaded with petrol for that destination when she disappeared on October 6.

fTIHE twin screw auxiliary trading A ketch Inspire is registered in the name of Mr. R. P. Archer, a retired American resident in Rarotonga, but operated by Mr. D.

C. Brown.

When stolen from Avarua, Raro tonga, she was fully provisioned and fuelled, and was loaded with a general cargo and with aviation gasoline urgently required at Aitutaki for the TEAL Coral Route Service. She was to have sailed the following day.

The mooring lines were cut and the vessel left the harbour under one motor. It was believed that four men were aboard, though to October 12, details reaching PIM were sketchy.

It is n t known whether the men are members of the normal crew, or other persons.

Inspire was purchased from Mr.

Hugh Williams in June, She has lately been skippered by Mr. Jack Lyons, a former AB in the Union Steam Ship Co.’s trans-Pacific

freighter Waitemata. There has been a Rarotongan engineer and two crew members.

An aviation gasoline crisis at Aitutaki has been in sight for several weeks past. The vessel Melva purchased by Mr. Hugh Williams following his sale of the Inspire, was to load a cargo of aviation gasoline at Wellington, NZ, as soon as she had been readied for her new Islands trade. This work had taken longer than anticipated and Melva was still undergoing survey in Wellington up to October 10.

Maui Pomare, a passenger vessel, is not permitted to carry aviation gasoline from New Zealand; Waitemata on her north-bound October trans-Pacific voyage made a late departure and was diverted this time via Fiji to load sugar for Canada, and was already running behind schedule when she sailed and put back again with engine trouble early October; Viti could not clear Auckland on her charter

voyage to the Cooks until at; October 25.

With Inspire’s small avii gasoline cargo now missing could mean difficulties for TE Coral Route service.

As none of the men bell aboard Inspire understand celd navigation, there seems to be than a possibility of the t ending her voyage on some re