Thurso, Caithness-shire.—At 9.30 on the night of the 15th of January, 1955, the County Clerk for Sutherland informed the life-boat station that the roads to Skerray and Melvich were blocked by snow and that about a hundred people were beginning to be short of food. He asked if the life-boat would take provisions and medi- cal supplies to Melvich. At 11.30 on the morning of the 16th the life-boat H.C.J. embarked the provisions, medical supplies and mail, and put out in a very rough sea. There was a strong northerly breeze, and it was snowing. Weather conditions at Mel- vich were too bad for the life-boat to come alongside and she was unable to put the provisions ashore. But with great difficulty she landed the medical supplies. The 'life-boat then went further along the coast to find a suit- able place for landing the provisions, but the weather worsened and she found that it was impossible to land them. She therefore returned to her station, arriving at 6.30.—Rewards, £20 Is. 6d..