OLD-TIME WRECK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20311, 20 January 1928, Page 10

OLD-TIME WRECK.

HAWEA TO BE RAISED. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR PROGRESS. The wreck of the Hawea at New Ply* mouth is to be raised. It has been companioned for nearly 40 years only by the sea creatures and the green waters ox Moturoa Harbour, high above her Phmsoll mark. The progress of the port now demands that her bones oe disturbed and bared again to the northerly breeze that sent her to her watery grave on June 12, 1888. The work of deepening an area of 100 ft wide to 25ft at low water has been commenced. In that area (says the Taranaki News) lie the remains of the Hawea. The Hawea’s last voyage was from Or.ehunga, which she left for New Plymouth with passengers and cargo early on the morning of June 11, 1888. She arrived cS New Plymouth about 11 p-m., and remained anchored until 6.15 next morning. Leaving her anchorage there, the Hawea lost her port anchor—a bad beginning. The wind blew freshly from the north, with a choppy sea, and when the starboard anchor was hove short, the port anchor, which was still down, carried away with about 15 fathoms of cable. The starboard anchor was then made ready, and, with the daylight coming, the Hawea proceeded slowly into port. The tide was low in about the first quarter flood, but it was desired to clear port as early as possible to catch the night tide at Nelson. The fairway had only lift of water at that state of the tide, and the Hawea had to make a wide sweep to clear the sandspit at the end of the breakwater and extending a considerable distance inshore. While coming in the Gairloch, of lighter draught and twin-screwed, passed to windward ahead of the Hawea to berth at the inner Moturoa wharf.

■ The light was uncertain, and when the master of the Hawea, Captain Hansby, haj hauled round from the spit end for the end of the wharf the Gairloch’s starboard green light was showing as she backed in. The uncertainty of the distance separating the vessels confused him, and he stopped the engines—a fatal mistake. The wind at once took command, and the Hawea swung shore ward and started bumping almost immediately. The starboad anchor was let go, but it was too late, and a light(--laden ship was broadside on to the fresh wind in a flood tide. The captain afterwards said he did not use his propeller when he first struck because he thought the blade would be strippped by the rocks. The vessel had only a single bottom and, being made of iron, lacking the straining stress of steel, she soon holed and filled as the tide rose. Boats were lowered and the few passengers landed at the wharf. So did the Hawea become a total wreck. Now, after 40 years, the wreck i s in * the way and it must go. Asked how long it would take and what procedure would J?® adopted, the resident engineer, Mr G. j B ’ L ? wson * that shots would be used on the ship’s remains, and the dredge would follow up with her buckets. If the remains could not be coped with by the buckets the diver would attach the pieces to the dredge’s crane and, piecemeal. Hie wreck would be cleared. The ship s boilers, a few plates, the keel and frame are mcluded in the remains of what her last chief officer termed “ a spio tr ' m Bnd P* ctu rcsque littfe