THE CONSTANCE CRAIG.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11056, 23 August 1907, Page 5

THE CONSTANCE CRAIG.

MORE WRECKAGE DISCOVERED. (Per Press Association.} AUCKLAND, thia day. The steamer Chelmsford returned this morning, having searched the vicinity of the Great Barrier for traces of the Constance Craig or survivors. At Whangaparapara a hatch and boat's chock were found. The former was identified as belonging to thc Constance Craig. Mr E. J. Chrisp, managing owner of the Constance Craig, received the following telegram this morning from Mr Bridgen, late second officer of the vessel, who went with thc steamer that was dispatched to search the Great Barrier and the Mercuries for traces of wreckage : — j "Aupori returned from Great Barrier. She picked up wreckage, also one hatch, which is conclusive evidence of the wreck." STATEMENT BY CAPTAIN STEIN. Captain P. A. Stein, of the Northern Company's steamer Ngatiawa, who has a son on board the Constance Craig, informed an Auckland Star reporter on Monday that' he was firmly convinced the vessel would turn up all right m the course of a few days. Captain Stein, who keeps a diary of the weather, stated that after the barque left Gisborne on the 15th ult. there were four days of southwest winds which would take her up to the North Cape. It would be impossible for her to get m among the islands with that wind. On the fifth day the wind went into the north-east, which would take her to the other side of the island, and then southerly winds followed her to Hokianga, where she was reported on July 26. From that day up to August 7 the? winds were south-south-east to east, varying strong breezes to gales. They would set the vessel about 700 or 800 miles off the New Zealand coast,: and she was a vessel that would drift a lot, being of shallow draught with a flat bottom. Some four or five days of this- westerly weather should set lrer back to the coast again, and the cap"-' tain is m hopes of Eeeing thc vessel safely at Hokianga yet. - The s.s. Chelmsford, which was to search the j Mercuries would make a thorough examination of the Barrier when she called there on Wednesday. Mr 'Bridgen, the mate of the Constance Craig, who' left the vessel at Gisborne to sit for examination, intending to re-join her at Hokianga, proceeds to the Barrier by the- Qhelmsford on behalf of the owners. ' Regarding the match-lined timber painted light blue, and the phonographs reported -to have been washed ashore at Port Charles recently, it is learned tliat the wreckage probably belonged to the scow Surprise, wrecked off Tairua. The scow's caDih was similarly lined, and a number of photographs of the friends of tiie craw were nailed up m the cabin. „ It may be pointed out alsxi that the internal fittings of the Constance Craig were all of bird's-eye maple, includirig the panelling. ' 7