THE WRECKED MANAIA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17058, 12 June 1926, Page 5

THE WRECKED MANAIA.

PASSENGERS REACH AUCKLAND. NO SIGN OF PANIC. CREW LEAVE VESSEL. f (Per V mss Association.> AUCKLAND, last night. The Ngapuhi reached Auckland with the Afanaia’s passengers shortly 1 before eleven o’clock to-night. The passengers, interviewed, said the wreck was unattended by any sign of panic. The only indication that anything was amiss was a sudden grinding as the ship piled upon the reef hard and fast. Though all the. passengers looked tired, they scarcely showed any signs of their experience. _ . The passengers said that the Manaia, when they left her at two o’clock this afternoon, had a decided list. The work of salvaging the luggage and cargo was in'progress, but. a later report, is that tho qr.ew left the wrecked,vessel ..in a schooner. - ■ : "'

“What, we need more than anything is sleep,” said one of the passengers. “None of us lias had any since last night, though some were able to doze for a couple of hours on the Ngapuhi. The steamer Manama, for Sydney, was delayed to take those- passengers who wore coming by the Manaia.to join her, and were transferred to the , Ngapuhi. •'life-'ihaiiCeoncern7of." those .transferring to the Mamina was the safety of their luggage. This was naturally somewhat disorganised, but the officials worker] hard” and few passengers boarded their .new ship dissatisfied. : ' •- TRIBUTE TO WOMEN AND CHILDREN. All the passengers pay a tribute to the conduct of tho women and children, particularly the children, when the ship struck. One passenger remarked that “the kiddies just stood by without a murmur.” “the luckiest feature of the mishap,” said a member of a theatrical company, “was the fine weather. Had there bfen a south-easterly there would not have been so many of us to tell the tale.” He added that the gen or el impression was that the Alanaia was held up by only one rock. The passage on the Ngapuhi was described as comfortable, and high tri-. butes were paid to the officers and crew of the vessel. SHIP APPEARS DOOMED. The Alanaia appears doomed. The following message was sent out by Captain Norburv from the Manaia at 6.3 p.m.:— “Making water badly; engine-room getting flooded: dynamos won’t , last much longer : ship lias very heavy list.” At 9.20 p.m. Captain. Norburv reported that the Afanaia’s stokehold and engine-room were flooded, and some of the. crew were being transferred to the Rimu, which, is standing by. THE INSURANCES. ' It- has been the policy of the Northern Steamship Co. to; carry most of its own risks. Thus, in the* balance-sheet for the year ended March 31 last, the sum of £56,730 was credited to the insur-. 1 ance account, and £19,111 to insurance account No. 2, giving a total reserve under this head of £75,841. Apart from that, all the company’s vessels are covered by a T.L.O. (total loss only) policy, • taken out with ordinary insur mice companies. The amount of T.L.O policy covering the Alanaia was not avail-able'to-night.' Her value may be roughly stated at over £20,000.

NG APUHI TO THE RESCUE

STORY OF THE TRIP.

NO TROUBLE IN RESCUING*

PASSENGERS

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day

The Ngapuhi was stopped off Tiritiri on Thursday night while the officers deciphered a. message from the, twinkling lamp. Her head was- at. once set for Cape Colville. Although overv effort- was made by the engine-room staff to develop the utmost speed, (here was always a feeling on board! that, fhey might- not, be in time to avert serious loss ol' life. For seven hours the. Ngapuhi forged on her southward journey, the forbidding nature of the night and the heavy swell running causing some apprehension as to t-lie chances of getting near enough fo the disabled vessel to render assistance. As Slipper Island loomed up all eyes were turned for a view of the Manaia, but she was away to the south-east. It was not- until about 9.30 o’clock yesterday. morning that sho -was sc;en. The rescuing steamer approached from thoseaward side of the island and Captain Dorlin-r kept the lead going as he had foul ground and a line of sunken reef between his ship arid the Manaia. HARD AND FAST. It was then noted that the Manaia was hard and fast bn the reef extending out from the south-east point of the island, with her bows high on the rocks and her stem riding low in the deep water surrounding the reef. Although sho had a. slight, list, she was perfectly steady, the falling tide having left her firmly aground, although her engines were being used to prevent- her slipping off into deep water. TRANSFERRING THE PASSENGERS. Captain Durling brought his vessel up with a mile of the stranded strainer and learned that the Manaia’s passengers were still aboard. It was then about 10 o’clock, with the wind from the north-east, and under these conditions the Manaia was in a comparatively sheltered position. Captain Norbury had taken the precaution to lower the' Manaia’s boats into the water and no time was lost in transporting her passengers to the Ngapuhi. This operation was carried out in a most- orderly manner. Approximately two hours were occupied in effecting the transference, and when about- 2 p.m. it was -seen that nothing more could be done, the Ngapuhi took her departure for Auckland) which she reached shortly before It o’clock Inst evening.

LITTLE HOPE OF SALVAGE

CARGO BEING REMOVED

CAPTAIN’S LATEST MLS SAGES.

(Per Press AssoomtioiO AUCKLAND, this day

Dm little hope is entertained of salvaging the Manaia. Advice was received from Captain Norbury late last night Hint the vessel was badly holed forward, the water in tho holds rising rapidly. The vessel’s how is so far on the reef that there is no immediate danger of her sinking.

The sea was smooth. A great deal of cargo in the after holds has been transferred to the scow Motu.

A message received at 11.5 p.m. stated the Riant had taken off the crew. with the exception of five, who are staying aboard.

VALUE OP WIRELESS

SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT'.

PREVIOUS DISASTERS

(Special to the Herald.i

AUCKLAND, this dav

No clearer ease for the value of wireless' on coastal vessels could have been made .out than that provided bv the tacts attached .to its use in connection . with the Alanaia incident. Had the ship, nof boon equipped she’ would probably.have lain on the reef, her plight unknown to any except those on board until the Motu passed that way from Tauranga several hours later. Had a storm been raging tho position would have boon more grave. Is; it was, tho Alanaia was able 10 acquaint • the Auckland authorities of her condition, and ask for'assistance.

The next important part played by wireless was when the authorities' here set about immediately to piovido relief. it was de'oided to fry'and Inter-, eept t’ne Ngapuhi,, which was on herway from Whangarei to Auckland, mud this was) done., iik about k.T a.in., when' she was “picked up” off Hawaii, about 70 miles distant from Slipper Island. Tho Ngapuhi was diverted, and. within six hours she was standing, alongside the Alanaia. In addition to this, .the Manaia maintained, 1 communication with; the' Northern Steam•ship Co. throughout the day. The- great-value of- wireless -on a steamer lies, .ns is demonstrated in this instance, in the prevention of a delay that might very often mean serious consequences. .

THE‘STEAMER ’S,; COUPSE

Tho course,, taken by. the steamers in the Tauranga, service lies between Slipper Islanad and the mainland. The passage is about 2} miles wide, and a number of small islands, including Penguin and Rabbit Islanads. are in tho vicinity. From the south end of Slipper Island a reef extends for some distance, and close up to the reef are 2d fathoms of water. ' PREVIOUS WRECKS. Wrecks have occurred at. Slipper Island on previous occasions. The auxiliary schooner To Toko, belonging to tho Northern Co., struck the south end of the island on August 6, 1920, and soon broke up. One of the crew was drowned in an endeavor to reach tho shore. Tho scow Surprise was wrecked there previously, while on one occasion the steamer • Triumph struck ,the rocks, but was subsequent ly refloated. On Alay 12, 1921, the Northern Oo.’s steamer T asman, while bound from Auckland to Whnkatane, struck on the Rurimu reef, off Afatatn, and sank shortly afterwards in deep water. The. passengers and crow took to the boats and landed on the beach near Afatata- without mishap. The wreck occurred'during squally, rainy weather in the -early hours of the morning. A Tow years ago the rafting steamer ■ Wairoh, went ashore on the Tairua bar, a few-miles to the north of Slipper Island, and became a .total wreck. NORTHERN GO’S RECORD.

Over a period of nearly half a century tho history of the Northern Steamship Co. has been comparatively free of marine casualties. Prior to I lie loss of tho Tasman and To Toko, the steamer Aluritai was lost on the middle Chicken Island, off Whangarei,Heads, while the steamers Kin Oro and Gairloch were wrecked on tho West Coast.

The Manaia’s cargo includes ,’U ■bales of hemp, 21 bales of tow, ,‘SO bales of sheepskins, 63 cases of fruit, 2-1 sacks of maize, four cases of bacon, and a moderate quantity of general cargo. The Manaia has, on board for Auckland;tin ordinary quantity.of mail matter which is not very, heavy. Slipper Island, where the Manaia struck, is owned by Messrs. G. and W. McLaughlin, and is used as a sheep station, having an area of between 6(10 and 700 acres. It is situated about four miles off Tairoa harbor, near the mainland, and is about 40 miles by water from Tauranga.

Captain W. F. Norbury is one of tho veteran masters of the Northern Co.’s fleet. He has been associated with the company for just on 40 years, and at different times lias had eharage of till the company’s larger vessels. When the Ngapuhi was built he,went Horne and brought that steamer out to New Zealand.

WEATHER CALM

CARGO MAY BE SALVED

.Ter Press Association.) TAURANGA, this day

The crew of the steamer • Clansman, which arrived' from Auckland tins morning, observed lightsVm the Manaia, con-

sidered to be oil lights. The steamer Rinuii was standing by. It- is considered possible that the Manaia’s cargo will bo salved as the weather is calm.