THE WANAKA ASHORE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8531, 3 April 1891, Page 5

THE WANAKA ASHORE.

LOST? ON A REEF.

PASSENGERS AND MAILS LANDED.

EXPECTED LOSS OP THE VESSEL. [fit ASSOCIATION.] New Plymouth, Thursday. The Union Steamship Company's vessel Wanaka, under charge of Captain Meads, struck on the Puketapu Reef, about three miles south of the Waitara. and eight miles from New Plymouth, this morning, while on her way down from the Manultau to New Plymouth, The steamer left Onehunga at two o'clock on Wednesday afternoon» crossed the Manukau bar at four p.m., and was due at New Plymouth breakwater at four this morning with twelve passengers. Everything went along all right till about half-past three this morning. There was a thick fog at the time, which obscured the shore caused no doubt- by bush fires now going on. It was impossible to see tho length of the steamer ahead. The sea was quite smooth at tho time, with a gentle swell. Captain Meads was on the bridge ab the time. The steamer suddenly struck stern on. and then swung round with her head pointing south* and I}roadside to the land. Captain Meads bohaved splendidly, and so did all tho crew. It was found that she had gone on to the Puketapu Reef, which runs out from Waiongona Point, about a mile from tho shore. It is about three miles south of Waitara, a little to the north of where tho s.s. Raiigatira went ashore in 18SI). Tho boats were gob ready at once, and an attempt was then made to get the vessel off the reef, but she did not move. A kodgn anchor was then put out, and an attempt was made to get her off in that way, but to 110 good. The steamer's boats were then got out. Tho tide ab tho time was almost two hours after flood. About six o'clock Captain Meads despatched one of the ship's boats to the breakwater, when Mr. Newman, local agent for the Company, and the harbourmaster, at once went up in tho Mohaka, steamer, to tho assistance of the stranded vessel. Tho passengers all then went in the steamer to the breakwater and landed. The vessel is lying on the reef, a mile and a-half from the beach, and well within the reef. She appears to be hanging on it. As the tide recedes rocks can be seen all round her. Tho steamer is nob making water at all, and another attempt will be made to get her off at high tide at two o'clock. When the vessol struck not a sign of rocks was seen. Great sympathy is generally expressed for Captain Meads. The passengers consisted of the following : — Mesdame P. Harvey, N. Harvey, Chatbaway, Miss Williams, Mr. and Mrs. Samuels, Messrs. J. P. Way to, F. Holmes. Later.

There is nothing fresh to report concerning tho mishap to the Wanaka. Doubts are expressed as to tho chance of the steamer going off again. The weather is splendid. The steamer will be dismantled morrow. There is a largo hole in the vessel amidships and four feet of water m tho engine room.

[BY THLKOUAI'JI.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] New Plymouth, Thursday. I have just returned from a visit to the B.s. Wanaka. She is lying broadside on to the shoro on the reef running out from the sandhills, justs behind the Bell Block villago, about a mile nearer Now Plymouth than the reef on which the Rangatira struck. She is about a mile from the shore, and smooth water is all around her. She seems to have missed, or bumped over the rocks. Sho is nob leaking muoh. The hole is supposed to bo forward of the engines. There is a groat diversity of opinion re the state of the atmosphere when she stranded. Some say there was a dense fog, and others that there was only a slight haze ovor the land. Others, again, state that it was quite clear. 1 am inclined to the opinion that it was clear, with possibly a slight haze over the land, and a calm sea. The passengers were all in a deep sleep when she struck, and most of thorn thought they were bumping against the Now Plymouth wharf. There was no confusion whatever, and the women were lowered into a boat and taken on to Now Plymouth. Some of the passengers were landed on the itef, and crossed the sand hills to Mr. Bayloy's slaughter yards, on the New Plymouth side of the 801 l Block, where thoy struck the main road from Waitara. I brought tho last man into Now Plymouth in my buggy. I drove right down on to the reef where the Wanaka lies. The s.s. Mohuka was lying off, and a largo whaleboat was transferring into her all tho mails and passengers' luggage. An attempt will bo made to haul her off at high water, at two p.m., and it is just possible they may be successful. Lot us hope so, and that the U.S.S. Co. may not have to leave her as their contribution to the Taranaki Jubiloo celebration.

The Wanaka is an iron steamer of 278 tons nob register, with a gross tonnage of 492 tons. She is a smart-looking and decidedly useful boat, and was well suited to her trade. Hor dimensions ares—Length, 175 feet; beam, 23 feet 5 depth, 11 feet 4 inches. With her compound engines she could attain a speed of about 10 knots per hour, and if all bad gone well she should have got up to Now Plymouth breakwater safely very early on Thursday morning. Sho was very comfortably fitted up, and Was a favourite boat with West Coast passengers. She was builb at Whiteinoh, Scotland, for the Union Steamship Company in 1876, and arrived in the colony early in 1877. She cost £19,000. She is commanded by Captain James Meads, who is very popular on the West Coast trade. The Union S.S. Company's manager in Auckland received the first intelligence of the mishap from Mr. Newman, tho company's New Plymouth agent, in tho following wire :—" Wanaka ashore six miles north of hero as four this morning: passengers landed. Probably float high water this evening." The only assistance that the Wanaka was likely to have at high tide yesterday was what could bo given by the small steamer Mohaka, which had boon sent to the scone by Mr. Newman. To-day, however, the Northern S.S. Co.'s Gairloch will be ready to render her assistance, as the Union S.S. Co. have arranged for her to proceed direct to the spot, instead of going on to Now Plymouth. It is expooted that tho Gairloch will bo alongside the Wanaka at about high tide this morning, when an attempt will be made to tow her off.