MARINE DISASTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16191, 29 September 1914, Page 3

MARINE DISASTERS

WRECK OF THE KAIRAKI. NO. SIGN OF THE VESSEL OR CREW. <'Peb United Press Association.) GREYMOUTH, September 28. Cargo wreckage from the Kairaki continues to be washed ashore. A lifeboat, smashed up, was pickcd up at Barrytown, 21 miles north of the Grey RiveT. There is no sign of the vessel or the crew. Scarch parties are scouring the beach for trace of the bodies. It is now ascertained that Price (telegraphed on Saturday as Trioe), the second officer, signed off at Wellington on Thursday. (Feoji Oub Own Coerespondent.) GKJiI MU UTH, September 28. Further wreckage winch .has been oast ashore, particularly near Barry-town, supplies convincing proof that disaster has overtaken the Kairaki. Yesterday deck fittings, another luebuoy, a box whicn was iouiia to contain goods belonging to the Rev. Mr iVionaghaii, who ihas been appointed to Ross, and tennis nacquets, and otner articles belonging to tile same gentleman, were lying on the beaiC.il. Mr Monagiian had no isurance on his effects. All sorts of theories arc put forth as to the cause of the disaster in addition to the idea of the vessel having struck Point Elizabeth. Another opinion is that the mishap occurred further north, the wreckage being washed south by the southerly set whicn obtained on Friday night. The beaches are being patrolled by the police a-nd representatives of the owners, but there wore no signs of any bodies. Yesterday there was a constant stream of visitors to the Seven-mile and.' the Ten-mile, all manner of vehicles being engaged to convey the large crowd to the scone of the disaster. At one time over 600 people must have been on the beaches, eagerly examining the wreckage which had come ashore. The Kairaki had four bags of mails, containing letters- from Wellington and Blenheim for Greymouth, Hokitika, and Reef ton. These have been entirely lost. The official list of the crew is as follows: Master, William Gordon Scott (age 29). Mate, Pavid M'lntyre (age 39) Second mate, Knudson (signed on <at Wellington in place of'S. Price). A.B.'s—F. Johnson (32), T. Smith (21), E.. Hedges (37), and W. Mollis (28). Ordinary seaman, Cyril Johnson (24). Chief engineer, W. Arnold (31). Second engineer, W. H : (30). Third engineer, T. R. Noble (23). Firemen—A. Taylor (35), W. Uarratt (43), and F. Hypus (29). Cook, L. J. Colmgwood (22). Steward, W. Garratt (15), son of the fireman. , rr. 1 D. M'lntyre, W. Garratt* and Taylor euro married men, whose residences are at Lyttelton.. „ . , . , , It appears that the Kairalu was last seen by the s.s. Petone. The master of the latter vessel (Captain Cowan;, when i™®*" viewed by a reporter to-day, stated: Ihe Kairaki a.nd my ship were in sight of cach other all day on Friday, and about 8 o otoclc that evening she passed us about four miles on the other side of Cape Foulwind, making to pass outside of the Cape, ihat was the last wo saw of her. At the speed she was <-oing, about seven knots an she would reach Cape Fouhvind about 8.30 p.m. and Point Elizabeth about 2 o'clock on Saturday morning. I kept the Petone well on, and ran down to the Greymouth bar, and on seeing the red danger signal there put out to sea, coming in closer when the wind moderated a bit to see hoy things stood. Although we saw other vessels bound for this port about us, we could see no trace of the Kairaki." • . The masters of the other vessels which arrived this morning report having seen no trace of the missing steamer. Ihey v/erft, however, all well off the coast from 20 to 30 miles—on their run down to Greymouth. Another captain who knows the Kairaki well savs the vessel was riding fairly light, a.nd thi's would cause her screw to race in the heavy westerly gale blowing on Iriday night. Probably this made her strip her screw and become unmanageable. She would bo then carried broadside on to the rocks. The first blow would crumple sn, her sides, and the next sea would capsize her. SOME PERSONAL NOTES. The following personal notes of members of the crew are taken from the Christcliurch P Captain W. G. Scott was a well-known and very popular young shipmaster, and a native of the Tyne district, in England. He came out to New Zealand sonic years ago, and after serving as second mate and mate in the steamer Tasman. belonging to the Anchor Company,' of Nelson, Ije was appointed master of the Kaiapoi Company's steamer Wootton. about six or seven years ago. At that time ho was the youngest master in New Zealand, but he proved his ability and seamanship by his successful "running" of the Wootton. On one . occasion when the ship broke down during a nor'-west gale in Cook Strait, he made „ all sail and brought the disabled vessel ' safely to Lyttclton under canvas. A few weeks after the arrival of-the Kairaki from Glasgow he was appointed master of the new ship. Captain Sco*tt was unmarried. His father, mother, and sister reside at Heathcote Valley. The mate, Mr David MTntvre. was a native of Otago, and was very well known on the New Zealand coast. ' His younger brother, Captain Oliver M'lntyre, was

formerly master of the schooners Falcon, Morning Light, and Echo, and has lately been in charge of a small vessel running between Hokitika and Okarito. Mr D. M'lntyre "was for several years master of the schooner Eliza Firth, trading between Lyttelton and Kaipara. He had been mate of the Kai-, ralti for about two years. lie leaves a widow and three young children, all m delicate health, in Lyttelton. •Mr W. Arnold, chief engineer, was a native of New Plymouth. He was previously ohief engineer in" the Wootton. Mr W. H. Gittos, the sccond engineer, was a eon of Mr J. 0. Gittos, of Greymouth. He served his apprenticeship in Greymouth, and after going to sea, was in several tramp steamers. Ho had been in the Kairaki for 12 or 18 months. Mr T. R. Noble was the younger son of Mr Joseph Noble, a well-known Greymouth resident. He passed his examination for second engineer's certificate that April. The other members of the crew were well known in Lyttelton. The fireman, W. Garratt, whose son, W. Garratt, was steward on board, was a native of London, and had been in the Kairaki for a considerable time. Cyril Johnson, ordinary seaman, was _ a son of the late Captain Johnson, of Kaiapoi, who was master for many years of the schooner Amelia Sims, and was never heard of since leaving Wellington in the oil launch To Huia last October, which it is believed foundered on the trip from Wellington to Kaikoura. It is a most unfortunate happening for C. Johnson's widowed mother and family. ANGLO-NORMAN WRECKED. THE CREW SAFE. (Peb United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 28. The barque Anglo-Norman is a total wreck at Kaipara Heads. She was driven into breakers upon a strong flood tide, which carried her on to the beach. At low water she is high and dry. The crew of 12 men were landed safely with their effects on Saturday evening, and walked to the lighthouse: ion members ot tne crew of tho AngloNorman arrived in Auckland by train irom Helensville to-day, and reported to the local Norwegian Vice-consul (Mr R. Millar). " I can't see that tho wreck was the captain's fa'ult, or any one else's," said one of the crew (an Englishman), in describing the occurrence to a reporter. "We had a pretty bad passage up from Duneclin, with head winds pretty well all the way. We had to lie off Kaipara Heads for pretty nearly a week before we had a chance to get in. On Saturday morning a westerly wind came up, and we made for the entrance. It was a fairly clear day, and ono oould sec the beacons quite well. The wind cofald not have been better, and it seemed as if we were going to be across tho bar in a very short time. Suddenly a heavy rain squall caine down on us, and completely blotted out the land. We could seo nothing but mist and rain all . round, and in' a short time we were in the breakers. The wind was gusty and fitful, and sometimes it dropped to a calm. The captain did not shorten sail, b'ut tried to steer by the compass. That was the only thing lie could possibly have done, becauso there was no room to put tho ship about, and when you aje on a bar you must keep way on. I know the Kaipara bar well, for I have been over it scores of times. v rhe part wo were on is what they call ' the graveyard.' We kept a sharp look-out for any sign of land thro'ugh squalls, but there was absolutely nothing to be . seen, and about an hour later we struck bottom, evidently on the sand. The barque seemed to settle firmly, und spray began to break over her. Not many seas came -ihoJird, and we were never in any real danger. The captain did everything possible after she struck, but we could do nothing for an hour or more, for the weather was still thick, and no land could be seen. About three hours after striking—that is, about the middle of tho afternoon—we lowered a boat, and took a'lino to the beach; which was less than 100 yards away. We got all our goods together, and by keeping a boat going to and fro on a line wo were soon all ashore, the captain coming off last of all. At the lighthouse they treated us splendidly. They gave up hot food, and helped 'us to dry our clothes, for we were all wet through. We really could not repay the keeper for his kindness. Ho could not have done more, however much we paid him. Wio slept at tho lighthouse, and yesterday morning wo left for the pilot station, where we got another warm welcome, and then all of us except the captain and mate caught the boat to Helensville. When we saw the last of her the barque was full of water, and was burying herself in soft sand. Probably in a week or two there will be nothins'but her masta to be seen." The Anglo-Norman being a foreign vessel the law does not, require a nautical inquiry to be held. Tho Norwegian Vice-consul is not empowered to hold a Consular inquiry, and at his request, the Collector of Customs has wired to the Secretary for Marine on tho eubjeot. If an inquiry : e held it will probably bo a departmental one.