WRECK OF THE WAITAKI.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 791, 29 April 1887, Page 19

WRECK OF THE WAITAKI.

0 NO LIVES LOST. Considerable excitement was caused in town on Saturday evening by a telegram which stated that the steamer Waitaki, eu route from Auckland to Wellington,had gone ashore two miles S.W. of White Rock, Cape Palliser. Tho telegram was received by Messrs Johnston and Co., and rau a 3 follows: — “Waitaki went ashore at 1.35 a.m. during thick weather, two miles S.W. of White Rock, Cape Palliser. All hands saved, Send assistance at once ; advite owners.” This wa3 the first news received here, aud the Mana was despatched to the scene of the accident soon after midnight on Saturday night, taking on board Captain Bendall, the Marine Surveyor, a representative f om Johnston aud Co., agents for the Waitaki, and the press representative!. After a very rough passage the Mana arrived at Cape Palliser. At the time of the Waitiki’s mishap, she was doing the round trip, having left Napier for this port at 7 o’clock on Friday morning. She formerly belonged to the Union Company and since to the Brunner Coal Company, from whom she was purchased by her pre ent owners. She was brought out originally to run between Oamaru and Dunedin in the passenger trade. On the passage out she had (if we remember rightly) a bit of ill-luck in runniug ashore onasandy beach at Dog Island. The Waitaki had accommodation for 44 saloon passengers and 38 steerage. She carried a pair of compound surface-condensing engines of 412 h.p., and her average speed was 11 knots. Her gross register tonnage is 400 tons, and her net tonnage k2S tons. The following is a list of her officers : Master, T. J. Pinal; clref office**, J. Hansou ; second officer, W. Penny ; chief engineer, J. D. Stewart; second engineer, W. Neal; third engineer, W. Dickenson; purser, T. D. Chatheld. The Mana left Wellington at 1 a.m. on Sunday, and arrived off Black Head at 7.15 am., having experienced heavy S.E. swell during the run. On reaching the scene of tbe disaster it was apparent very little could be done owing to tbe heavy se t runuing. The st anded vessel, as she laid close inshore, presents a very singular appearance, looking as if she wa3 snugly lyin'? alongside a breakwater. She washeadingS.S.W. Asandspitruns out on her port side, thus protecting her from any southerly weather, whilst the hills on the starboard protect her from north-westerly winds, to that the only danger she is likely to experience is by the wind from N.E. or eastward. Üblr s her bottom is seriously injured, there would appear to be very little difficulty iu floating her off. As far as can be a-.certained, the vessel went ashore at 1.30 a.m. on the 23rd, and judging from the place where she struck, it is thought that Tekaukau Head, some little distance to northward, had been mistaken for Gape Palliser, and the vessel’s course altered to the westward when Tekaukau was passed, thus running the vrs. el clean ashore. When the Maua arrived distress signals were flying at the foremast, indicating that the vessel was in distress, and assistance wanted. The Mana immediately signalled that she would be unable to render assistance until the weather moderated. No notice being taken of the Mana’s signal, it was concluded that there could be no one on board the Waitaki. In the vicinity of the Bteamer a fire could be seen on the beach, round which were grouped several men, evidently forming a portion of the crew, and presumably camped there to watch the vessel whilst the remainder of the ship’s company were doubtless at White Rock Station, about , two miles N.E of the wreck. The men on ' the beach took no notice of the Mana’s signals, and there being no sign of abatement of the sea it was decided to return to Wellington, and a start wu3 made at 8.30 am. On the way home the shore of Palliser Bay was skirted for some distance, the object being to find a landing if possible, and put Captain Bendall ashore, but this Droved impracticable and a course was shaped for Wellington, which was reached at 2.20 p.m. Thanks are due to Captains Bendall, Jones, and Watchlin for the kindness and hospitality extended to those who-.e bustoe's took them to the scene,also toMr J. McMiller (JohnstouandCo.),forhis assistancein making the voyage as agreeable as possible. It is understood the Waitaki, which is owned by the KamoCoal Company of Auckland, was under charter to Captain Pinal (the commander) and chief engineer, and that the cargo only consisted of a few bags of lime consigned to the contractor of the Government Printing Office. Owing to the boisterous southerly which was blowing all Monday, the Mana, which was to have left for the scene of the wreck of the Waitaki with Captain Bendall, did not start. The following insurance claims have been received at a meeting of the Marine Underwriters’ Association: New Zealand office, £1000; South British, £6OO ; National, £500; Equitable, £500; Union, £SOO. Captain Bendall, marine surveyor, left on Tuesday for Martin borough with the intention of making a survey of the Waitaki. We learn that the vessel has been surrendered to the underwriters. The Wairarspa train, which arrived in town on Wednesday evening, brought down eight of the officers and crew of the ill-fated Waitaki, including Mr S. D. Chatfield, purser; Mr W. Neal, seoond engineer, Mr G. Fuller, third engineer; two firemen, and three sailors. They left the toene of the wreck at 8 o’clock on Tuesday morning, and had to tramp to Russell’s Station, a distance of about 30 miles. Here they obtained a brake, which brought (them on to Featherston, and they came thence by train to Weilingtou. The men do not look much the worse for the severe hardships they have gone through, and all are in good spirits. Captain Penal ; Mr H. Hanson, chief officer ; Mr W. S. Penny, second mate; and Mr J. D. Stewart, chief engineer, have remained at White Rock to wait for the Marine Surveyor, who left Wellington on Tuesday evening for the place, via Featherston. Beside those already mentioned, Mr T. Hardwick, the ship’s proyidore, two cooks, the steward and a bov, have remained behind. Mißs Bush, the stewardess, two saloon pas-

sengers, Mrs Mitchell and child, Mrs Coleman aud child, and Mr Dean, a steerage passenger, have also stopped at White Rock. Mr Chatfield, the purser, has courteously supplied us with the following account of the accident:—The Waitaki left Napier at 7 a.m. ou Friday, the 22nd instant; it was then fine weather, with a light breeze blowing. At'about 10 o’clock the wind came np pretty stiff from tho southward, which, in a short time, increased to a gale. At this time the weather was very dirty, and a black rain squall had come up. The night was pitch dark, and objects within a few yards were hardly visible. At 1.30 a.m. the vessel struck. She gave a heavy roll aud then bumped three times, after which she steadied herself. When she struck the engines were put on full speed astern for five minutes, and as she could not be got off full speed ahead was put on till the steam was all gone. A quarter of au hour after the vessel struok the engine-room and stokehole were full of water, which had also got in through the bulkheads to the fore and aft holds. The port bilge was resting on a large rock which acted as a pivot whenever the sea struck her. Soon after she struck the boats were got out and the lady passengers aud mails were landed first. There wa3 no confusion of any sort, and everything was done with great coolness and in good order. A line was also taken out aud made fast to the rocks and her port anchor let go. When everyone had been got out of the ship a fire was made, and all camped round it till daylight. In the morning Captain Penal and his men again set to work, and everything was got out of the saloon, and as much of the stores as possible. At the time tbe vessel struck, she was about twenty-five or thirty yards from the shore, but in the morning the action of the tide had brought her a considerable distance nearer, being not more than about 20 yards from the shore—within a 44 stone’s throw,” as one of the men put it. The Waitaki is now lying on a rocky beach between a rocky spit (not a gravel spit, as before stated) and the shore. It is feared that she will become a total wreck, as the general opinion seems to be that her bottom is severely damaged-. She is almost full of water ; and all the loose gear in the cabin, such as tables, settees, &c., are floating about. When last seen by the members of the crew who came down last night, she had a strong list to port, and her stern had slewed round to seaward. The only probable danger of her breaking up would be in the event of a heavy gale, when the sea would break over her. I£ has not yet been deoided when Captain Penal, the rest of the crew and a lady passenger come on to Wellington, as the travelling accommodation between White Rock and Featherston is exceedingly meagre, and the roads very rough. The whole of the passengers are from Auckland. At the time of the vessel going ashore, Captain Penal and the ohief officer were on the bridge, and two look-outs were on deck. Captain Penal desires to thank Captain Mclntosh, of the Te Anau, for his promptitude in answering his signal, and also Mr William Barton for his kind attention to himself, his officers, and lady passengers while at White Rook Station. The Waitaki was very light on this trip, having only 10 tons of lime, two cases of leather, and one case of drapery as cargo. The mails have been left at W hite Rack, but were to be sent for from Martinborough yesterday.