WRECK OF THE S.S. WANAKA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 93, 23 April 1891, Page 8

WRECK OF THE S.S. WANAKA.

Some little excitement was caused in town on the 2nd April when it became known, through telegrams received from New Plymouth, that the Union Company's wellknown steamer Wanaka was ashore on the West Coast. When, however, it was notified that the passengers had all been landed safely, tha anxiety amongst townspeople concerning friends who happened to have taken passage by tho steamer from the Mauukau for New Plymouth was lessened. The first intimation of the disaster to the Wanaka was conveyed in a telegram from New Plymouth this forenoon to Mr Biss, Chief Postmaster in Auckland, as follows :— "S.B. Wanaka is on a reef near 801 l Block, »i mile or two north of New Plymouth. The passengers are landed and the mails will be saved.—W. GREy."

The Wanaka, which is one of the best known and most popular coasting steamers in the Union Steamship Company's fleet, is regularly employed in the trade between Onehunga, New Plymouth, and Southern porta, under charge of Capb. J. Meads, who is well-known in Auckland. She lefb Onehunga aboub 2 o'clock in the afternoon of April 1 for New Plymouth and bhe South with the following passengers :—Meedames P. Harvey, N. Harvey, Chattaway, Mies Williams, Mr and Mrs Samuels, Messrs J. P. Wayte, F. Holmes. The Wanaka is an iron steamer of 277 tons neb register, with a gross tonnage of close ousootons. She-was built at Whiteinch, Scotland, for the U.S.S. Company in 1876, and arrived in the colony early in 1877.

Her cost delivered in New Zealand was£l9,ooo. It was on tho Puketapu Reef, about three miles south of the Waitara and eight miles from Now Plymouth, that the s.s. Wanaka struck.

Seeing that there was no chance of getting the vessel off, she was abandoned and her crew were paid off. When the tido is out the place where the Wftiiaka was wrecked i 3 only about 3UO or 400 yards from the shore. The vessel is lying on the reof a mile and a-half from the beach, and well within the reof. She appears to be hanging on it. As the tido recedes rocks can be seen all round her. The steamer is making water, but an attempt; will be made to get her off. A nautical inquiry into the cause of the stranding of the s.s. Wanaka on the Puketapu Reef commenced on April 11 before Mr Kettle, R.M., and Captain Adams, of Wellington, nautical assessor. Mr Samuel appeared for Capt. Meades. The court gave its decision on the 16th instant. It considers Captain Meades committed an error of judgment in not " Blowing down," and keeping the steamer's head more to sea, and also in not heaving the lead when in a thick haze, and approaching the land, but the Court considered neither the captain nor first officer was guilty of negligence. The Court could not take upon itsolf to say whether the accident was caused by steering, or attraction by the ironsand coast or currents, but would report the matter to the Marine Department for further inquiry into it. and would represent to the Government the necessity there was for stronger lights being placed at New Plymouth and distinguishing - lights at Waitara; The Court returned Captain Meades and the first officer their certificates but ordered the captain to pay the cost of the inquiry, which was roughly estimated at £33 to £35, which the captain intends to ask the Government to mitigate.