LOSS OF THE MAY

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 555, 27 October 1902, Page 2

LOSS OF THE MAY

OFFICIAL INQUIRY. The wreck of the bnrquontino May on tho open coast between Manukau and Kaipara during the gale on Friday morning, October 17th, formed the subject of an inquiry which was commenced at Auckland on Friday. The first evidence heard was that of Captain Bonfield, the master of the tugboat Pilot, who stated that the Pilot was towing the May from Kaipara to Onehunga- When off the residence of the Hon. E. Mitchelson, between midnight and two o'clock in the morning, owing to the heavy sea, tho captain'd! the May shouted, “ We are going to let go the line,” and asked them to haul it in. It was a wire line. He was positive the line was not cast off at tho Pilot end. They still had the complete line on the Pilot. Ho did not ask the master of the May to let go. She appeared likely to fare ail light, although there was a heavy sea. After parting the May seemed to make head-

way out to sea, although she was head reaching. Had the May not let gi sho would havo dragged the Pilo ashore. They had no communicatioi with the May alter about t'.VP o'clock oi Friday morning. In reply to the inquiry Are you all right i" the captain of thi May shouted, 11 We'are all' right ; you gc on.” They then went to sea, being anxi ous to get out before the coal rail short There was no possibility of picking up the May again had they attempted it. They never saw her again. The gale was so stiff that they lost everything on the decks, including the water tanks, and could not draw the slide without shipping seas. To the best of his knowledge the anchors, masts, and sails of tne May were all good, and she was well found. The deck cargo was within the limit allowed, being below the rails, and thoroughly lashed. The May steered well, and was a

comfortable old ship. By Mr Brabant : Witness said that when parting company Mr Harrison shouted to the May to meet them in the vicinity about three o’clock in the morning. (Captain Adamson : When they last saw the May she was heading for Kaipara. The Pilot steamed out to sc-a, afterwards returning. There being then no sign of the May they steamed out to sea again He did not consider it an imprudent act for the May to cast off. Had she not done so there was a danger of pulling the Pilot under. He believed at tiie time that the May would live through the gale. Michael Wickmann, master of the Russian barque Conrordia. lying stranded near the scene of the wreck, then gave evidence. He did not see the Pilot, and it was,not until a quarter past five on the morning of the wreck that he first saw the May. She was then four cables distant from the outer breakers, coming head on to the beach. She was carrying a full mainsail, but the jib sails had been blown away. A quarter of an hour afterwards she entered the first row of breakers, turned broadside on and capsized. It was • not possible for him and his crew to launch ; a lifeboat. ] Wati Dunn, a stalwart young Maori, ; the sole survivor of the May, was the : third witness. He gave bis age as uine- t teen, and said he was rated as ship’s boy. During the early morning someone called J him and told him the Pilot was out of r

sight, and ho had better got up The May was then heading back to Kiipara, with jib, topsail, and main-ail- up, and tiie mizzen made fast. Sue would not eoiuo up in the wind. About four o’eloek the utuiii ordered iltc w heel to i.e m : a- i’ was iim-m- trvi g to .voiir tlio -hip. Wupu sin- e line up in the wind attain tile j;f> sp ,t and the top-ail was carried away. About five o’clock they made fast the main topsail and main staysail When they entered tin breakers broad side on tin mainsail til ed with water. In the first breakets th- m.iiimi-tw n a d the cabin fid d won water. A in. wastretched throug.i the nil,in doors thotn the wheel to the ma nma-t. and th- crew hung on to it. lie i.eli. v.d tlnce .f them perished in tin- cabin. In the second They had plenty of life belts on hoard, but only two pnt them on. II- had never worn a life-belt ; lie thought they were too light for hull, and did not put one on. Whilst swimming towards the shore he saw two men on a raft of timber. They were on their hands and knees. If the rest of the crew were tossed about in the way that he was they could not have lived. The Mav was carrying a smaller load of timber than usual, the water being eighteen inches below the load-line. Witness attributed the foundering of the ship to the heavy sea and changing winds. All hands were sober. He had never seen any spirits aboard. The enquiry was adjourned.