SCOW SOUTHERN ISLE WRECKED.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14208, 21 June 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

SCOW SOUTHERN ISLE WRECKED.

HULL FOUND AT FAREWELL SPIT

ALL HANDS MIS-SING

(From "The Colonist,"' June 3.)

NeWvS reached Nelson last night of a wreck at Farewell Spit. Mr John Berkett, mine manager at Parapara, telephoned some particulars to this office. His son, Mr Stanley Berkett, and another man, Mr Harry Johnston, who were in a launch, saw tho wreck at about 4 o'clock, yesterday afternoon. It was a scow upside down, 3 miles east of the lighthouse. The vessel, which had twin-screws, could not be identified, as .-the'name-board was carried away.. The lighthouse staff, it is understood, went as close as' they could to the wreck, but could not get right to it. There .was no sign of the crew. June, 5. Telephone messages received from Farewell Spit last night stated that the vessel which had been seen bottom upwards there on Friday "ilad been identified as the scow Southern Isle. A search party consisting of Captain Tregidga, Messrs G. Thlnn and G. Williams, and Constable,,. Wade left on Saturday, morning in Mr A. Stuart's oil launch Heather, and located the illfated, scow off Farewell .Spit, lying in 13 fathoms of water,, with her nose buried in tho sand and about 35ft of the hull showing above the water. The position of the scow was duo to the coal shifting forward. Planks.were removed from the hull, arid, as far as possible, the interior was searched, but the cabins having been destroyed, no trace could be found of the crow, which consisted of— . Captain C. Gibson, of Nelson. A. Foster, engineer, of Pie ton. "C. Monteith, A.B V of Blenheim. J. Clifton, A.B. There was also on board a cook, whose name is. at present unknown. The Southern Isle left North Cape for Picton last Sunday morning, laden with- coal, and it is believed met with bad weather early in the week. She was passed by the Pearl -Rasper on Sunday morning, tho weather then being squally. On Thursday the Alexander passed what-appeared to bo a largo whale on the Spit, and this is now thought to Lave been the Southern Isle.

On Friday night the lighthouse keeper at Stephens Island observed a vessel, carrying topsails, beating eastward, which he.thought was the Southern Isle, .but this was probably the ■scow Magic, which arrived al> Sandy -Bay from Wellington on -Saturday. Tho Southern Isle had her topmasts removed some time ago. ■• ' ■ The ill-fated scow was jointly owned by Captain Gibson, Mr Athol Foster, and Messrs Tasker and Levien, and has traded in the Bay for some years. Captain Gibson and "Mr Foster have many friends in Nelson, where they are well known. Both married sisters—the Misses Clunies-Ross—Mr Foster's marriage having taken place only a few months ago. A camera was found on the beach near Farewell Spit on Saturday, bearing the name "Glumes-Ross." Tho search party were to have left on their return, home at 10 o'clock last night. The beach was searched'for the bodies of the crow yesterday without result. The search will be continued to-day.