LATEST NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2266, 28 September 1914, Page 6

LATEST NEWS.

WORST FEARS REALISED. HEAVY SEAOFF THE COAST. '.' Greymouth, September 27. ■ - The-.'jCoast Joint;;. Elizabeth to north''of' 1 Baxrytdwn is ' strewn with ■wreckage, consisting of chaff,_ butter, and deck-fittings. A couple of lifebuoys, marked "S.S. Kairaki, Lyttelton,"al6o came ashore.' All day long motorcars have been. running out to the vicinity where the wreck is supposed to havo taken place. . ■■•'•.. Several captains of vessels in port went to.Seven Mile this morning, and on their return expressed their belief that the vessel had struck on the rocks off Point Elizabeth." This was indicated by the lifebuoys,, deck-fittings, other light objects, coming ashore. there. Tho heavier article's were carried, further by. the northerly sea, and are coming ashore further north. Tli9 heavy sea running on the Grey River bar makes it impossible for the .tug to go out and make a search.. . • ' ■ '• . Tlie harbourmaster expresses tho opinion that the bar will be until to-morrow' afternoon, at the earliest. The very high .sea all along' the coast would break" the Kairaki up within a few hours, v ' > . The Kairaki has been unfortunate lately. , She was bar-bound in Hokitika .recently for three weeks, .after/being nearly wrecked on the bar. • , H. Gittos, second engineer, and • T. Noble, third engineer; are both local lads/ A youth named Mariott Mylroi was nn board, making a pleasure' trip with his friend Noble. ' ■ The captains of vessels in port ."express the opinion that the mishap was due to a breakdown in tho engines. The Kairaki was a twin-screw vessel, with powerful engines for her size, which enabled her to make the trin when other vessels were obliged to' shelter. There have been many WTecks on the West Coast within recent years, but the Kairaki is the first to be attended with loss of life. Word was first received that articles consigned to the Rev. Mr. Monaghan', which were known tt be on board, had been washed ashore at Barrytown.

L.OST ON FRIDAY NICHT. OFFICIAL ADVICE TO THE AGENTS. The local agents for the Kairaki «t Hokitika advised Messrs. Levin and Co. on Saturday afternoon that the vessel had been lost off Greyinouth on Friday night with all hands. The Kairaki's complement was 14 hands all told, consisting of the captain, chief officer, second officer, three engineers, cook, steward, and six firemen and deck hands. Tii-j vos6el arrived at Wellington on Wednesday last from Lyttelton, having loaded at the southern port for Wellington and Greymouth. At this port on board a quantity of cargo, consisting of oil, matches, chemicals, etc., and sailed for Greymouth at 3.30 p.m. on Thursday. During the past few days the weather on the West Coast of the South Island has been reported as being very bad, causing much delay to shipping. Captain W. G. Scott, who wa6 in charge of the Kairaki, was formerly on the Wootton. He was unmarried, his home being in Lyttelton. Mr, R. Price, who wa6. second officer of the Kairaki, left the vessel at Wellington on Thursday last. The Kairaki was owned by the Kainpoi Shipping Company, and left Home during June, 1909, out under easy steam through tho Suez Canal. She was a twin-screw steamer, with a speed of ten'knots, and 6po was built by the Dublin Dockyard Company. Her principal dimensions nero: 160 ft. between perpendiculars, breadth 28ft. Gin., and moulded dopth to main deck 10ft. 6in. She was of tho raised quar-ter-dec!: typo, with top gallant forecasts and long bridge. The Kairaki had a deadweight carrying capacity of 220 tons on a draught of 6ft. Sin., and 350 tons on Lloyd's freeboard, and had been designed to float at a level draught when loaded with homogeneous cargo. To assist in trimming in other conditions' fore and aft peak tanks had been installed Excellent accommodation for the crew was situated forward on tho main deck, and. under tho bridge deck were separate rooms for the officers and engineers, as well as saloon pantries,_ galley, bath, and lavatory accommodation. On the bridgo deck were the captain's room and ohart and whcol-houso. and these

were surmounted by the navigating bridge. Tho equipment included double derricks on each mast for quick working of cargo, as well as electric light clusters, tha vessel being lit throughout with electric liglit. Tho machinery'was supplied by Messrs. Ross and Duncan, of Glasgow. It consisted of two sets of triple expansion engines supplied by steam from an extra large boiler. .Excellent provision was made forcarrvinß timber, cattle, and sheep, and her arrangements for towing wore said to.be equal to what is found in the highest class of tugs. Some months ago tho Kairaki was stranded at Kaiapoi, while she previously met with a mishap on tho West Coast. ' .• . " .

AT THE SEAMEN'S MISSION. REFERENCES TO RECENT DISASTERS.' Special reference was made at the service last evening to tho loss of the Australian submarine, the three British warships in the North Sea, and the loss of the Kairaki. There was a large congregation in the church, which was tfraped for the occasion. ■ Suitable hvmns were sung, and an appropriate «010 was given by Mr. Oakey. Mr. J. R. Cummings read the lessons, Mr. Moore, tho missioner, preached, and in referring to the disasters'so_ near home and in the "North Sea he said/that the years tell out the same truth the crape is never absent:— "There ''s no flock, however well at tended, , , But some dead lamb.is there." Yet whether it was cruiser,, submarine, or conftter, we'found o«r men know how to dio at the post of duty, for were not nur hearts stirred by the wait, for the call-."Now eveo-y man for himself"; and the 'courage of the middies. He. added that war might be inevitable, but' woe to that man who brought it about without cnnra. The Dead March in Rnnl was played bv the organ'st; Miss Paul.