SHIPPING DISASTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16190, 28 September 1914, Page 6

SHIPPING DISASTERS

KAERAKI POUNDERS ON THE WEST COAST. NO TRACE OP VESSEL OR OREW. SEARCH PARTIES AT WORK. CAUSE OF WRECK NOT Y<ET ASCERTAINED. {Pkb United Pbess Association.) GREYMOUTH, September 26. It is reported that a. Jot ot wreckage is coming ashore 10 miles north of Ureyniouth, consisting of chaff and general merchandise. The chief postmaster at Greymouth has sent the following message to the Secretary of Telegraphs, : Wellington :—" The Tenmile Beach telephonist reports that wreckaye is coming ashore, consisting ot butter, brooms, etc, and one piece of board marked •Remuera.' I am obtaining fuller particulars. The police and Customs have been intormed tlwt the wreckage is- probably from the local steamer Kairaki. the piece of timber marked 'Remuera' is part of a packing case. The Kairaki is known" to have shipments :x-Remuera." The quantity of wreekago found at Tenmile has been recognised by the local agent as that of the Kaiapoi Company's steamer Kairaki, .181 tons net. Two lifebuoys, bearing the name Kairaki, were also washed ashore. She was due here to-day from Wellington. Search parties have gone out to endeavour to find a trace of the ship and crew. * , Later. A further search indicates that the worst fears with regard to the Kairaki have been realised. It is surmised that, either through rough weather or accident, tjie vessel was driven oin the rocks near Point Elizabeth, and has totally disappeared:. There were a, crew of 16 aboard, of whom are: First mate, D. M'lntyre. Second mate, S. Trice. First engineer, W. Arnold. Second engineer, Harold Gittoes (Greymouth). Third engineer, T. Noble (Greymouth). DETAILS OF THE CREW. AN UNFORTUNATE PLEASURE TRIP. GREYMOUTH, September 26. At 3 p m. there was no traoo of the ship or crew, beyond the wreckage. The Kairaki was in charge of W. Scott. Gittoes and Noble (the engineers) are sons of Greymouth residents. A man named Marriott Mylrois, about 17 years of age, and) who was taking a pleasure trip, was also aboard. Mylrois's parents reside at Runanga. —— THIRD DISASTER IN A FORTNIGHT. SPECULATION AS TO THE CAUSE. (From Onn Own ( Toßßespcwdsnt.) GREYMOUTH, September 27. The loss of the steamer Kairaki, with all hards, the third disaster in New Zealand within a fortnight, is a tragedy with but few words to explain it. On Friday a howling westerly gale was raging on the West Coast, and at about 10.30 p.m. strange flashes were seen at sea. These are now behoved to have been distress signals from the ill-fated vessel. At about 11 a.m. on Saturday a telephone message was received from the Ten-mile (which, as its name denotes, is ten miles north of Greymouth), saying that large quantities of merchandise and ship's fittings were coming ashore. Investigation at once proved that these belonged to the Kaiapoi Company's steamer Kairaki, which was making a voyage from Lyttelton and Wellington to Greymouth. All day long wreckage continued to come ashore, hut no sign of the crew confirmed the worst fears. To-day cargo and ship's fittings are coming ashore in large quantities at Barrytown (21 miles north of Greymouth), and it is now apparent that the Kairaki has been lost, with all hands. No one is left to tell the tale of her loss. The cause of the disaster is a mystery. One surmis? is that she struck a rock, either at Point Elizabeth or at the Seventeen Miles, and immediately after went to pieces, owing to the frightfully rough weather prevailing. Anothor is that the vessel foundered, the breakers being abnormally large. No list of, the officers and crew is obtainable here, hut one may be obtained at Lyttelton. So far no bodies whatever have been recovred. STORY OF LOSS CONFIRMED. (Per United Pbess Association.) WELLINGTON, September 27.; The Secretary of the Post Office is advised to-day from Greymouth that it is now certain that the Kairaki has foundered. DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 27. The Kairaki, which lett Wellington for the West Coast last Thursday, was owned by the Kaiapoi Shipping and Trading Company, and was in charge of Captain W. G. Scott. She was a twin-screw steamer, ■built in 1909 by the Dublin Dockyard Co. to meet the Kaiapoi Company's special requirements, which, due to the nature of the services, were of an exacting character. The vessel's principal dimensions were 160 feet long, breadth 28 feet 6 inches, and moulded depth to main deck 12 feet 6 inches. She was of the raised quarter-deck type, the topgallant forecastle and long bridge, and had been built under Lloyd's special survey to their highest class, as well as to the requirements of the British Board of Trade and the New Zealand Shipping Acts. The Kairaki had a deadweight carrying capacity of 220 tons on the very, shallow draught of 6ft Bin, and 550 tons of Lloyd's freeboard, and had been designed to float at a level draught when loaded with homogeneous cargo. To assist in trimming in other conditions, fore and after peak tanks were installed. : . The Kairaki arrived at Wellington on Wednesday afternoon from Lyttelton, having loaded at the southern port for Wellington and Greymouth. After landing the local portion of her cargo she took in additional shipments here of oil, matches, chemicals, etc.,, and sailed for Greymouth at 3.30 p.m. oa Thursday. The vessel's cargo from Lyttelton is known to have included brooms. During the past two davs the weather on the West Coast has been very heavy, causing much delay to shipping. Captain Scott was formerly on the Wootton. He was unmarried, his homo being in Lyttelton. Some months ago the Kairaki was stranded at Kaiapoi, and she previously met with a mishap on the West Coast. AN ILL-STARRED SHIP. SEVERAL PREVIOUS MISHAPS. (Per United Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, September 27. The coast, from Point Elizabeth to nortii of Barrytown, -Is strewn with wreckage, consisting of chaff, butter, deck fittings, etc. A couple of lifebuoys marked "S.s. Kairaki, Lyttelton." were also found. All day long motor cars have been running out to the vicinity of whore the wreck is supposed to have taken place. Several captains of vessels in port went to Seven Mile this morning, and on their return, being interviewed by an Argus reporter, they expressed- the belief that the vessel had struck on the rocks at Point Elizabeth. This was indicated, they said, by the lifebuoys, deck fittings, and other light objects coming ashore there, while the heavier articles were carried on by the northerly sea, and came ashore further nortii A heavy sea running oh the Grey bar makes it impossible for a tug to go out and make a search. The harbourmaster expresses r:.ho opinion that Vhn bar will be unworkable until to-morrow afternoon at the earliest. The very high sea running al! along ths coast would break the Kairaki up within a few hours. The Kairaki has been unfortunate lately. She was l«ir-bound m Hokitika recently for three weeks, after having been nearly wrecked on the bar. Captains of vessels express i,hc opinion that the mishap was due to a breakdown in the engines. The Kairaki was a twin-ecreiv steamer with powerful engines for her size, which enabled her to make the trip when other vessels were obliged to shelter. There have been many wrecks on the West Coa-=t within recent years, but that of the Kairaki is the first to be attended by loss of life. Word was first received that articles consigned to the Rev. Mr Monaghan, which were known to be aboard, had been washed ashore at Barrytown. ; ANOTHER VESSEL ASHORE. IN A HEAVY SQUALL (Pre United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 26. The barque Anglo-Norman, from Dunedin, ran ashore at the North Spit, Kaipara Heads, during a heavy squall at noon to-day.

SHIPWRECK RELIEF SOCIETY. The secretary of the Dunedin Shipwreck Relief Society has sent the following telegram to Greymouth:'—"Advise what relief required fur relatives of officers and crew of Kairaki." A telegram lias also boon sent to Captain Fleming, the Shipwreck Relief Society's representative in Auckland"Advise any assistance necessary for officers and crew barque Anglo-Norman."