A TOTAL LOSS

Southland Times, Issue 19434, 24 December 1924, Page 5

A TOTAL LOSS

WRECK OF THE KONONI CARGO IRRETRIEVABLY DAMAGED MARINE SUPERINTENDENT’S VISIT The steamer Konini, which went ashore at Cable Bay, near Bluff, in the early hours of Monday morning, is in much the same position as she was yesterday. Although she is in one of the most exposed parts of the coast, the weather has remained fine, and she still sits bolt upright in the water, and but for the serried rows of rocks and the bursting breakers, almost looks as if she were simply riding at anchor. But a close-up view and an actual inspection of the ship soon dispels the illusion. The* Konini will never sail the seas again. She has been given up as a total loss, and it is only a matter of time, possibly even days, when a stiff blow comes up from the westward, and then good-by to the Konini! INSPECTION OF THE VESSEL. Captain W. J. King, Superintendent for the Union Co., has spent a particularly strenuous 36 hours since he boarded the southbound express on Monday night on his way to inspect the wreck. Immediately on arrival in Invercargill on Monday night, he was motored to Bluff, and was up again at daylight. The oyster trawler Savaii left the Bluff wharf at 4.30 a.m. with Captain King aboard, and returned again at eight with the navigating instruments. The Savaii was unable to get alongside, and a dinghy had to be lowered in order to get aboard. The position of the doomed, vessel was found to be hopeless, and an inspection of the cargo showed that the salt had been irretrievably damaged by the water, which had made of it a solution. The cargo of gypsum, which is to a great extent liable to damage through the action of the water, was also considerably affected, and in the opinion of Captain King, the vessel and her contents are a dead loss. In addition to visiting the vessel by sea, Captain King walked overland and inspected her from the land side, where she lies a cable length from the shore. In the afternoon a motor launch and dinghy went out to the wreck and brought ashore the bonded stores, returning about half-past five, after which Captain King caught the last train for Invercargill and, his work completed, will return to Dunedin this morning. VISITED BY MANY SIGHTSEERS. During yesterday morning and afternoon, motor-cars were continually arriving at Ocean Beach, carrying passengers from far and near, who had come down to see the ship; incidentally a sight worth witnessing as she lies on the reef, with the surf breaking on the rocky shore. With a good blow coming in from the west, the waves smash themselves in cataracts of spray half way up the face, and when heavy weather comes, j the old salts predict that it will be short and i sweet so far as the Konini is concerned. { Konini is the Maori word for the Native l fuchsia.