NO SALVAGE ATTEMPT

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31107, 9 July 1966, Page 1

NO SALVAGE ATTEMPT

Kaitawa Wives

Concerned

(New Zealand Press Association!

AUCKLAND, July 8.

There is distress among a number of wives of men of the collier Kaitawa, which sank off North Cape on May 23, because no efforts have been made to salvage the wreck.

The uncertainty about whether the bodies may still be in the sunken wreck is causing great strain. The wives say they cannot get satisfaction from the owner, the Union Steam Ship Company.

“After all, we’re the wives of crew members and we’re entitled to know what is going to be done,” said Mrs N. Wilson, of Northcote, who has four children and is expecting her fifth next month.

“We haven't heard from the company for weeks. We want to know if they will try to get the ship up and whether there are any bodies on board.”

Mrs R. I. Hill, of Birkdale, the mother of three girls said: "We don’t know what’s going on. They haven’t told us anything. We’ll never rest till they L-ve tried to find the bodies.” “The boat should be brought up,” said Mrs N. A. Clarkson, of Northcote, mother of five children. “We have to know one way or the other. Most of the other wives feel the same way.” An official of the Union Steam Ship Company said today that the wreck of the Kaitawa was with the under-

writers and that nothing could be done without the consent of the Receiver of Wrecks.

In any case, he said, salvage would be extremely difficult because the hatches were off and there was a great hole in the side of the hull.