WRECKAGE ON THE COAST.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1423, 8 June 1899, Page 39

WRECKAGE ON THE COAST.

A BUOY FROM THE OHAU. STEAMER FITTINGS ASHORE AT CAPE TURN AGAIN. A telegram was received by the General Post Office authorities on Saturday, which leaves little doubt as to the fate of the s.s. Ohau. It is to the effect that a quantity of cabin fittings, four hatches, an oven and a lifebuoy marked s.s. Ohau, were found on the beach in the vicinity of Cepe Turnagain, on the East Coast of the North Island. SHIP’S CABIN FOUND NEAR CASTLEPOINT. Mr W. Gray, Chief Postmaster, was notified yesterday that a station hand had reported that a quantity of wreckage had been found along tho coast at a spot seven miles south of Castlepoint. It consisted of a steamer’s cabin, with glass panels, and a brass rail, and steamer’s cupboard and frame, a number of pieces of board of a slate colour on one side, some ship’s candles, and some pieces of timber, evidently the remains of a ship’s boat. There was not, it seems, any means by which the wreckage could be identified as that of the Ohau. but there can hardly be any reasonable doubt that it is a part of that ill-fated vessel. A FIND NEAR MARA NUT. THAT OF A VESSEL OF ABOUT NINETY TONS. PROEABLY AUCKLAND-BUILT. News came to Wellington on Saturday afternoon that a quantity of wreckage had come ashore between Island and Lyell Bays. Mr D. McKellar, Collector of Customs, drove out to the locality yesterday afternoon. He reports that the wreckage consists of the forward deck portion of a vessel of at least eighty or ninety tons. Tho beams, which he examined, were eight inches square and twelve feet in length. A winch which was also found was six feot long, and evidently belonged to a large-sized vessel. It was an old-fashioned appliance, but in fairly good order. The wreckage had evidently not been floating about very long, as it was free from barnacles. The vessel had evidently been built of kauri, with pohutukawa knees, which leads to the supposition that sho had hailed originally from Auckland. Her bitts are slatecoloured. A theory has been propounded that this wreckage may have constituted a portion of the schooner Marmion,’which broke up near Tairua some weeks ago, but this is impossible, as the wind has been coming steadily from the southward for weeks past. It is more likely to be the remains of some small coasting sailer which has gone to pieces during the stress of the recent heavy weatlier. SEARCHING FOR WRECKAGE. The s.s. Flora, on her trip up from Lyttelton yesterday, kept within a mile and a half of the coastline up to the Kaikoura Peninsula, in order to institute a search for the wreckage that has been reported to have been seen in the vicinity of Port Robinson. When passing the Peninsula a dark mass was sighted, which on closer inspection turned out to be kelp. The Flora passed the Poherua, bound south. The captain signalled that he was making a strict search for wreckage. A MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY ORDERED. The Government has determined that a full and exhaustive inquiry shall be held into the loss of the coilier Ohau. The Customs authorities have for some days been making preliminary investigations, with a view to the holding of a Magisterial inquiry. It is probable that Mr Northcroft, S.M., will he asked to conduct the proceedings, and that he will proceed to Greymoutb, with an assessor, to examine witnesses as to the loading of

the vessel. If it is deemed necessary to have the evidence of former officers of tho steamer as to her stability, load lino and so forth, the Magistrate will proceed to omcr places in prosecution of the inquiry. A STRANGE RUMOUR. A strong rumour was afloat yesterday afternoon that a red-funneled steamer had been seen towing a white-funnelecl steamer off Castlepoint. No confirmation of such a statement could be obtained from shipping authorities. They had heard nothing of it.