THE MANUKA WRECK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20905, 20 December 1929, Page 10

THE MANUKA WRECK.

ABANDONED TO UNDERWRITERS.

SALVAGE WASHED ASHORE.

HULL COMPLETELY SUBMERGED.

The wrecked steamer Manuka has been abandoned by the Union Steam Ship Company to the underwriters. This announcement was made by the local office of the company yesterday, and the decision was cabled to the ship underwriters iu Loudon.

The Manuka is now completely submerged, only about 15 feet of the main mast and one or two derricks showing above water. The after part of the hull is in fairly deep water, and the southerly weather and heavy seas arc pounding the vessel so heavily that she will soon go to pieces.

On Wednesday, Mr W. J. Crawford, Lloyd’s surveyor, and Mr Haddon G. Smith, representing Messrs Brodrick and Chalmers, agents, visited the wreck for the purpose of reporting to the underwriters in London. They made the trip as far as possible by motor car, but were then forced to complete the journey in a dray. When they reached the scene on Wednesday evening the was being bettered by heavy seas, and .the waves were smashing with great force against the cliffs at Long Point, The hull of the Manuka was awash at low water. A derrick on the foremast, which was swing, ing to every movement of the hull, and the top of the mainmast, were all that the visitors could see of the ship. Mr Smith informed a Daily Times reporter yesterday that cargo was being washed ashore along the bays and coves to the south of the wreck. The beach was littered with onions, lemons, drums of oil, bags of flour, baggage, and Baloou and cabin fittings. Among the goods washed ashore were two oil paintings believed to be from the valuable collection belonging to Mr Murray Fuller. The pictures were recovered by the police constable stationed at Owaka, who has been patrolling the beach for some time since the wreck occurred. One of the pictures was found to be in fairly good order, but the other is practically mined. The wreck has attracted search parties, and the searchers have loaded their cars with goods washed ashore. Mr Smith said that one man had taken a load of ship’s furnishings to Owaka but he had returned the articles to the beach when a warning was issued. Wreckage washed ashore was the property of the cargo underwriters, and this fact ia evidently not known to many people. Any person removing wreckage is liable to prosecution.

The Collector of Customs at Dunedin, under the Shipping Act, is the receiver of wreckage. Yesterday morning Mr H, D. Colgrave, boarding Customs officer for the department at Dunedin, received instructions to proceed to the scene of the wreck and take over duties as receiver of wreckage. He reached the beach late yesterday afternoon, and made arrangements for collecting all wreckage for storage on the beach. The Manuka's cargo being under bond, duty must be paid by the subsequent pur chasers in accordance with the value assessed by the Customs officers.

Mr Smith said that the clay portion of the road between Owaka and the beach was drying fast, .and motor and other vehicles had a smoother passage over a good distance of it up to Wednesday night. It was expected that large crowds would make the trip to view the wreck during the week-end. It waa stated yesterday that the possibility of salvage from, the wrecked ship was considered to be very remote. The Manuka was insured in London, but the amount of the policy is not known.

Unless the cargo and personal effects which are washed ashore are claimed within a reasonable time, the collector of Customs, in accordance with the Act, and acting as receiver of wrecks, will dispose of all salvaged material. The cargo and other goods now being washed ashore are strewn along the beach over a radius of seven or eight miles. It waa reported yesterday that passengers' baggage was being washed ashore bn the southern portion of the beach.

STEERAGE PASSENGERS. A "list of the steerage passengers carried by the Manuka for Dunedin, Lyttelton, and Wellington was not available owing to the fact that the lists compiled by the purser went down with the ship. A record of both saloon and steerage passengers by any vessel is kept at the port where they embarked.

TOE MANUKA’S RECORD,

The Manuka was recognised as the last word in marine architecture when she was built. She was a remarkably fine sea boat, as scores of travellers transported by the ship across the Tasman Sea will testify. A Daily Times reporter had every opportunity to sum up the Manuka’s sea-going qualities on a trip from Sydney to Auckland in the summer of 1913. The vessel was then under the command of the late Captain D. M’Lean. She had a fine weather trip, but a remarkable phenomenon occurred just as the Manuka came abreast of those forbidding and barren islands known as the Three Kings. With a suddenness which startled the passengers a tremendous sea arose, and the ship glided from smooth waters in!to > mountainous waves. The seas rose higher than the funnel, and when the Manuka’s hull fell between these menacing walls of water, the Three Kings nnad the familiar headland at Cape Maria van Diemen were totally obscured until the ship rose to the top of the.big seas again. After steaming a very short distance the vessel ran into perfectly smooth water again, but the manner in which she rode - ■ those enormous seas placed the Manuka very high in the estimation of the passengers. Barely a drop of water was shipped, and the ship’s remarkable steadiness and buoyancy were clearly demonstrated. The sister ship of the Manuka, the Mooraki, was built first. These vessels were built to supersede the Mararoa. the old Te Anau, and the now scrapped Tnluno. For many years the Manuka was the ship of the 'commodore: of_ the Union Company’s fiect. Captain Neville had command at one lime and, until he retired a few years a go- Captain Clift was in command. , The Melbonrne-Hobart-Wcllington-Sydney run was carried on by the Manuka for some time, and at various periods site was employed on the San hrancisco run.

CREW’S APPRECIATION,

Several members of the crew of the Manuka called at the Otago Daily Times omen yesterday morning before leavinrby the express for their homes in the north, to express their deep appreciation ior Inc kindness shown by the people durmg their short stay in the city IV mens delegate said they appreciated all that had been done for them bv the citizens ot Dunedin and the residents of vj"*ka and other places. The men also deeply appreciated the assistance given by the hhipwreek Relief Societv. The men would bever forget the kindness shown by one and all. The relief given by the society had been so generous that every man was well clothed and had money in Ins pocket for the trip to their homes. The value of such an organisation as the Shipwreck Relief Society had been fully realised. The men never expected to receive a monetary grant, but « sslstanc c came just in time The men also paid a tribute to their late commander. Captain Ross Clark, who had madfe a lasting impression on them by his devotion to duty and splendid work after 'tli© Manuka struck. Every mem* ber of the crew was unanimous in the opinion of Captain Clark. None of the men had served under a more capable and cautious officer. They also expressed their sincere thanks to the Manuka’s officers for their thoughtfulness and consideration from the time the ship struck until the crew reached Dunedin

SCENE OF THE WRECK. Long Point iTrihuka). where the Manuka was wrecked, is the, next projecting hcarll.ini] south of Nugget Point, to which promontory it bears a resemblance. but has no rocky islets lying off it I.wo mile* eastward 0 £ Long Point there is a safe landing in fine weather

at Cosgrove Island. There ere 25 fathom* of water two miles distant from thk Otago coast at this point. Long Point is a promontory with very jagged rocks reaching some distance out to sea, and it is a very dangerous place for any shipping that comes near.

MANUKA’S CARGO.

CHRISTMAS CONSIGNMENTS.

ONIONS AND CANNED FRUITS,

skipped by the Manuka at Melbourne for Dunedin consisted of the usual lines of general merchandise carried “T 5 * 5 the Tasman by intercolonial vessels. As the Manuka was the last tWfnvS - f r c je ht at Melbourne in r r>- r *• 9 h , rißtmas trade, large order* f or .. Continental and Australian dried L™* 8 placed hy Dnnedin business' i e 'easels cargo, therefore, iu-i-fP consignments of- canned trmts, V ictonan-grown onions and flour, tea from the East, and dates from Medi’ terraneon porta. The last two named consignments were landed at Melbourne from °'ersea cargo ships. ° £ th t goods mentioned will be telt by the merchants concerned, but it is expected that similar stocks will be secured from the north before Christmas, nnt m , will i n all probability HOI DC depleted to any great extent. .• A, of the Manuka’s manifest, f f upphed tte Collector of Customs, shows that the vessel carried the following cargo for Dunedin:— 20 cases soap, _ cases confectionery, 100 cartons macaroni, 1 bag lasts, 2 cases wood lasts, . chests tea, 3 cases school rulers. SO pieces timber, 2 cases fire alarm apparatus 1 case crayons, 42 bags plaster. 2 packages grubber*, 4 packages ropes, 2 packages parts, 2 case* tinplate, 16 cases flower pots, 10 cases chutney, 5 bales grease-proof paper, 9 cases tiles, 2 drums eucalyptus. 1 case essences, 1 ease fittings 1 package machinery, 1 frame. 1 jaw holder. 2 fly wheels, 2 toddles, 1 case shafting 1 case machinery, X case leather, 7 cases electric goods, 1 case rubber goods 4 bags ironwork, I packet ironwork, « cases liquorice, 655 cases canned fruit 1 parcel periodicals. 16 cases poultry, 4 cases boot polish, 13 bags coal dust, 1 case buffer springs, 6 bags white facing, 8 bags compound, bags plumbago, 1 bag blacks ing, X drum material. 1 bag wire brushes. 2 cases pipe nails, 7 bags steel paint, 1 case sugar goods, 7 cases sanctuary oiL 5 f ases ,„ caßtor oi l I case soft goods, 40 crates sulphuric acid. kags mineral wood, X case electnca goods 1096 bags onions, 1312 boxes sultanas, 10 cases safety fuse. *?««• lemons, 3 crates ginger, 10 toils sueet lead, 10 cases ammonia, 1 case tanner s goods. 12 bags Epsom salts, 2 bags w?' e £ t U eX i ract -, 1 case Periodicals, 28 half chests tea. 4 cases solution, I case drapery, 10 bags brown flour. 1 case lewing machine, 6 cases tinware, 20 cases chlorate potash, 1 case cafe fountain, S 5 ?^ri?]l a w + i 9 photographic goods. 12 crates bottles, 10 cases stationery 8 cases insulators. 2 cases shellac, 1 cue carbon black, 1 parcel books, 45 drnms oil, 1 case gate valves, 1 cask lemon juice, 1 octave limejuice, 1 bag corks, 25 cartons flaked wheat,l box samples, 13 quarterly® 1 ? a?-? 6 ’ * 27 i*?* 5 * flonr » 1 bundle drill steel, 822 eases dates, 1 cue hrassware, 4 T rb ? 4 case# alabaster f«>rk 8 rolls matting. J 4 bundles mats, 10 rolls matting. . Several hundred tons of pradtieally similar cargo, including onions, flour, tea, and canned fruits, were earned by the M “uka for Lyttelton and Wellington, The bulk of the cargo carried by the Manuka for . all ports is covered by insurance.

RELIC OF FORMER WRECK.

The Congregational Church, Fort Chalmers, has, an interesting memento of the steamer South Australia, wrecked near the Clntha River in 1867. A small rose window, which was the saloon window of that steamer, occupies a place above the church pulpit.

COLLECTION OF PAINTINGS.

MR MURRAY FULLER TO VISIT

WRECK,

(Pek United Press Association.)

WELLINGTON. December 19. Mr Murray Fuller, whose valuable collection of English paintings for exhibition" and for sale in New Zealand went down with'' the Manuka, ■ is leaving Wellington to-morrow night for the scene Of the wreck in order to see if any more of the picture* are washed ashore.

MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY.

TO BE HELD IN DUNEDIN.

(Fkk United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, December 19. The Marine Department advises that the magisterial inquiry into the circumstances connected with the wreck of the Manuka will be held in Dunedin after the New Year.