Waikouaiti Abandoned To Underwriters

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1939, Page 3

Waikouaiti Abandoned To Underwriters

INVERCARGILL, This Day

The Union Steamship Company, Ltd., announces that the steamer Waikouaiti, which is ashore at Dog Island, in Foveaux Strait, has been abandoned to the underwriters. If the weather keeps fine, however, an attempt probably will be made to salvage some of the cargo from the after-end of Ihe ship, which is still dry. Any salvage work done will have to conserve the interests of the owners of the cargo pending instructions from them. Departmental Inquiry. The captain, officers and other witnesses who were on the steamer when it ran aground attended a departmental inquiry held in Invercargill yesterday. The inquiry, which was not open to the Press, was presided over by the Collector of Customs (Mr K. H. Smyth) as agent for the Marine Department. The evidence will be forwarded to Wellington. The question whether a public inquiry will be held will not be decided lor some days. Not only has the ship a considerable list to port, but two or three of the holds are flooded. Heavy Ground Swell.

It is only a matter of time before water will have put out of action the steam power, and consequently the crane for lifting salvage out of the hold.

The constant , heavy ground swell near Dog Island makes it almost impossible for another ship to lie alongside and take off salvage, and there are no pontoons at Bluff suitable for the work.

Another inspection of the wreck v/as made yesterday morning by the Union Company Marine Superintendent at Dunedin (Captain W. J. King). Stormy Weather Expected.

The sea was fairly calm in Foveaux Strait yesterday morning, but the closeness of the atmosphere heralded a change to stormy weather. The position of the Waikouaiti was unchanged last night, except that she had settled down a little more, and at high tide water covered Nos. I and 2 hatches.

A private launch went out yesterday afternoon with the chief steward, the wireless operator and an agent of Lloyds’. Wireless Gear Taken Off.

They brought off the ship’s wireless gear, which was recently installed at Sydney at a cost of £9OO, most of the ship’s stores, and a good deal of portable gear from the decks.

The upper part of the cargo of one hold is apparently Christmas toys, as yesterday hundreds of kewpie dolls were floating round the vessel. An attempt is being made today by an oyster boat to remove the more valuable cargo.

Honours.— lt was officially announced from Government House yesterday that the customary Honours List will not be published at the New Year. It is the intention, however, that the list to be published on the day appointed for the official celebration of His Majesty’s birthday in the United Kingdom, which next year is Thursday, June 13, shall be of somewhat greater length than usual.