THE EXPEDITION SEARCH

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 59, 17 February 1868, Page 41

THE EXPEDITION SEARCH

‘ i ;:A.XJCKLAND

1- ■■ • .- i M.si- ,U-.I (Kom the Dunedin Evening Star, Slst/Jahuarjj;) j *i" ■ •’:: : i), i-i'K hl,iß 0(f 'HltS’-Ifi: A .special .meeting;,of, th.e .Chamber o,f Commerce took place to-day, afc n'ooii, "iV consider the reply of the Cdloniai Secretary to the Provincial' Government,; in thefthat-' ter-of; a search rat tbo-. Auckland shipwrecked .persons.” . Present—-Messrs A. Carrick (in 'the chair), J. t B. Mudie| Butterworth, J. Davie” Sise, L F. J.' 'Moss;, Ewen, Ai Tolmiei Oaldwelh.'Wv H.-Rey-nolds. R. B. Martin Isaac.Turnbull,VPgelv and the Secretary (Mr:Webb),, -^t the request of. Uie.-Cairman, the Secretary, read the following correspondence j—, Superintendent’s Office. - . Dunedin; 3()th 'Jah.‘lß6B'.i f i. Sir,—Seeing in to-day’s paper that theto is to be special meeting of ' tbd Chamber of Commerce, 1 at noon, on the subject; of the shipwreck, at the Auckland ,l3lands, : l J beg to ;forward: herewith, fo.r the j information of the Chamber,,a communication which has this morning reached 'me from His Honor the Superintendent-of Southland; which please return to ,-me after the ,meet* ing. Xam sure there ,can be but. ,one. feeling in Otago as to the noble part which our neighbors in Southland have acted' in the affair, and I trust’ that whafceveJ ,, Bfcep‘B the General., Government; riiay adopt' with respect to it, we shall, insist -upon.sharing with our Southland friends inthe pecuniary; part of the burden. ' ‘ i t x "

I have the honor to be, sir, - Your obedient servant, ! 1 ; •T. Macandbew, ' - i. s Superintendent.l To the Chairman of the/ ’ Chamber of Commer.ce, Dunedin.j

Superintendent's Southland, 26th Jan,;LB6B. li Sir,—Having seen in the papers'.bn' account of a-meeting ;of the Chamber of Commerce of Dunedin, at which it ; seems to have been decided that it was acLyisiblq to send a steamer to the Auckland and Campbell Islands, to ’search !or-the four missing men of the crew- of ithe jS-eneral Grant, and. learning that adeputation intended to wait on your Honor with a similar object, ! have thought it might be well that you should be made acquanted, for your guidance, with the steps already taken in the matter by the Government of. this Province. ' The enclosed copy of a (letter to the Chief Secretary of Victoria, mil put you in possession of their: 1 : ' > * The Amherst sailed on Saturday morning with a fair wind. She-is fitted opt and subsidized by the Southland Government, and in charge of Mr Armstrong, a 'member of the Provincial Council; and formerly an officer of the P. & O. Company—being commanded and manned .by: the ,same: persons that were in hex; ;on,hpr last trip, men. who are acquainted with, every .part of the various groups of, island's from long experience in whaling 1 and sealing there j so that! have no doubt that what:can be done to carry out my instruction? will jbe judiciously and effectively accomplished. . I have, only to add that the survivors, ten in imir.ber, 'left by ' the' Otago for /Mel: bourne/all in excellent health, and* 'well supplied by the Government .with clothing, and -bya committee of the inhabitants of Invercargill with money.,. ... . ‘ : I .would venture to suggest "that T tHe benevolent feelings of the citizen sOf Otago, ! which "appear to have been ’moved' chiefly in behalf of, the shipwrecked men,*' ’might now be properly, turned in another.diree? tion,, viz.,, towards the ,owhers’ r and'crew J Qi the Arhherst. J IS'ot. to reward ’tneni for doihga good deed, for whicK' I - am' -sure’ every man of them already feelsisufficiently rewarded in,-having done it; but, , to compensate them for; the actual.loss . they haye undergone'in maintaining the 'sufferers so long 1 ' oh. board (two months),' and : in at length ' leaving their ‘fishings ground; in order to.:bringthein h'ereip Ithmkiit/does' npb, consist with th,e, honors [of;.; the Newr Zealand public to,aU6 t (I fallpn them alone, and If eel very surethatf'every colonist, both iANew-Zealapd and Victoria, would.gladly see their respective governments . contribute’tow&'ds' : a fuhd’fbrithe purpose ; of 'reimbursing ‘them/ ' ■!'•' can; at least ahswer-foV‘the : pbdple-'o'f Southland: 4-1 have the' honor Sir," your z 6beclierit servant,' i f Jno;-P." ! Superintendent: ! l ' ; \ ; | P.S.~ I^Anclose,; foK' tl>V' mforiphtiojn of your Honor’s Goyernmeht, ’"a/copyof a rjough' inapt of"j"^Auckland/Isj.aiids; marked inlike. manner!'^ .Chief .Sepretary' of ip ;red, : indicating ;]the ! / places .where the I His Honor. 1 ’ Otago. '■* *■' - ! ; . ’ 3 "/SnpemU^6o^iß^. r, ’ flv ; , ’ Southland, : l? J ey Z&alafidV? 1 '"f ,j :■ ; , i J ,'T gence /by 'ltne- T stohmhhij) 7 'Tkterna// which : left the', Bluff- hhrbotir imhae'diatieiy :f affer , 5 Shjfthllrad ■ trhaling; “ s ''Giiroyj ! of the on; toe,Auckland’lffiiinas pf;.the.tr<S. sMp General GraUty whihh’left i oargOj acppuntipf.this tey,rrible .'disaster,"as

tneil d6po^ifiotis.'of: thep'ersons: 'examined: jbbfojp.r-.tlie Coufct -of (Enquiry,, and- also-a , accpuut of jtheVevent?;. attending .their, ; ip'papers which I send ' ‘' sames 1 Tbor/'an ■ old -HeW'ZealaTi'd ; settiler/form’erlyi pilot atr: HoHtika, who; was a ’passeqger putiboard,. f bg] General > Grant,-to . wait upop you and; I rgiye.yon any particular ”.in you uihy deeirel " Thisis how the fourth wreck wjhich '.is“-yfcnoie»« to ’have happened afc tUe 'Aueklandialands within as many years, and jf yvouia be.well could some!means be ad »p----ted to diruisli the risk of, accidents in fuby raamtaihing . a light on . some prbhiiherit'p6inVou 4, f the windward sidb of the-maih'island, as-- this group is in the ; direct cotirse pf 'vessels:*going 5 £ro.tn the Australian-pof,ts-eastward., . As this, however, is .a matter which does not; lie within the scope of provinciol authority,‘T must edntent' myself with suggestirig the idea to you, and 1 on the subjecfcJwJth the General Govern,'PWk 1.. r.

.. In the meantime, it is my intention,, as soon as the weather Moderates; to send out the brig. Amherst .tq_explore the adjacent groups of islands—the Campbell, Bounty, and Antipodea;lslandßn-on the, I fear,, very,remote chance of picking up the four 1 mien—viz., ffie hiate and'’three of the creiy who left the- Auckland Islands in one of the 1 General Grant’s boats, on the 22iid January, 1867, J in' the hope of reaching New Zealand, e who have l hot since been heard buttwho'tnay .by/b^rel;possibility have fetched].the.Camphje^.'lslands..., I enclose a xrnap of, the'Aqcklancl group made by Mr Baker, Chief - Surveyor of fhis - ’ Frbvihce, : when' he T visited 5 it. : twb yeirs ago ;in c.- the * steamer-. Southland in search .of the survivora of the; Grafton. ..llad there been time I wpuld .have, had it^lithographed, and sent you a number of copies for," the use of ship' masters; but you; will : probably' be able to get that-better dohei in ' Melbourne. : 'You : will perceive that the >east ~coast is soindented, with deep..bays, that, if is.,very .unlikely, any vesselcould come "to harm] on that side, which is; moreover, 1 the" one most rarely approached'; but 1 the west' 1 side* is; precipiironbouhd from: one end to; the other. X have had prepared (here;,and instructed t)ie captain. of the the. brig Amherst to leave-at the 'pbinfs marked with'red .figures pin the mapj 'Nbs.-1, 2,3, ( basks containing each; the articles' named. :in the subjoined fist, .for the.-, use pf: any person -who- may unfortunately be cast away there .in future. ■, - v ’ '

:; Hoi 1: Head of Saddlb Hill inlet, j ,; No. 1 2. : * Musgrave’s hut* (with notice bttvMusgrave’B;?Peninsula. # ;s?h.e4 e ; to rfind H0..-I ‘l. :■ ~v' -T.'* ' 1 No. 3. Old settlement (Enderby’s north of Laurib’Cove. '' l . ' 1,1 ’ ' * Artideß ! ! , Btbre'd : at ' each-, of . the " above places* in casks :—Large-sized pocket compass with|floating card; (variation marked,) and sailingy directions (for ,reaching New. Zealand/(matches, flint, steel, tinder, axe, knives, fish " hooks,' lines; warm clothing and blankets, hammer/saw; gimblet, chisel,* nails', spade, a few; tins: of preserved meat, biscuits,.a : chart,, viz./ A.; tracing of ; the one, how, sent, and smaU map of New Zealand, a few water-tight boots and stockings, needles and fhr bad, cbmp ovens'/ panhikens, aiid'a little ordinary medicine.: lim : j EnSerby/s Island.—On this, .island have been:turned, ,oqt four .goats, ,(left by,"’Vicalso sixVeen pigs.' There .are Here plehty' or ?< rbi)bits,''and* 5 any quahtify ‘ of seals, 1 whibh eah be easily'eaptured wifliout boats';''.':: .-'.'l*'- ;,:';;l :• v.- ’• . .. .. also [have]been ; left,,two,;old axes, two royenSj- sindH boiler. . It ;r would,be well tqVmake it -khq , wn i thbfc l .‘‘mujttqn birds” kbound op/all fhb. is&iids./ 'These 1 birdsform a staple afttelb of food to the Natives of Southern Hew Zealand, land to many; of the/iettlejfSj,] ],lbe''Genexil ..Grapt’s. crew were not aware of this; lalf hqugh they had passed’ twenty* bh' ; the' islahils; fill told‘of if by' itHe Amherat’s inehi v ' <••=' , The birdsi burrow liketjrabbits, /or like the;English, < sand, mar.eu, (apd; their nests ban rpiach.^d,, .by, fjie* .hand. . ] Captaih .Gilroy is ’also, Instructed;to -leave'casks with 'kiimlat' 'cqhtetits 1 oh' i ßounty Island, and: at CaVopbeillslands,: /arid also'to tilrn out some pigs and goats, and, if Ijcan ; g‘et them .in tMuq,j some, wpodheas apjd, jcab.bits. As I have no, chart of last-named plkceal;. i'carinpt indicalte 1; the'' eiidfc r spqt wherb 1 the s 'stores'will bri the retutnoofi.the ’'expedition;:;! will forward jyou+a [pppy'-qf , the/repqrt] ,ol; .'the/.officer in charge,..which,.will give, a- desofiptiou pf the/exacfloc^^/- ' ! T hrip’e these’ little; instructions' inay be the- irieaxis of: alleviating.the ‘sufferings of 'any unfprtunajesi 'whoj ‘mayr : in i'uture,’ ( be p o stili inqye. strongly^thatthere may hover De any (i I B ? lffire%eceived t ;S^ol^raphib‘ l meßs4g'e froriii ithej Coldnialv Secretary .tOE give /free' pa§sages f tOithe ora'w ; aad(P,af sengers ,of the ‘hey will sul accordingly by tne Otago to-mor-, rdwgiii V'>f Ml ■ I '<7 Or 1 -riw : ai «v/liu?t>si3 , ; :^oinn^;x [ hadJbben’ /calledq.becaufle' ic wastthel opm- > the (qf the < bey tha| of erpresaing I *. tneir opinions, with, regarq fp''fi(e J# ref^ai:oifithe’G^eral^Gb^rx^^bt • todSßpafeh'AßfeiTrier to-sbarbh J ttie:Au:qk-: ! 'jfaken' a-id,eal ,of tarodWer andiritereatddthb

"T” -• **“. 4 ” maMf ;v and ifc was 'a’gpesWn*fc£ people; that,the ; burthen of the,,worjc".s&t not fall Province alone! /‘ 'Y r * w '' ' i 1 'updT) proposed by '-Capt.'M'Kiri-' r by Mr.; Mucfie, ; it

.yr&% eytesjfeualjy. altered('to;,.the ishapevih yvhich' yt» j print, it, belo yr. '. , : 'o.r.igin ally \lt proposed' %. apply to ' t|ib J 'General ’ Govern meat Hagaih; urging - them' I to - a steamer, and if they refused, to apply to the Commodore on the station,;aud to the Victorian* Government. Mr Davie, doubted. whether the Commodorb power to act in such'a matte'independently of the Governor; -and he objected'to any application being made to the; Victorian Government in the matter. v , , . ,Mr Garrick thought it probable that .the Victorian Government would -have already dispatched a steamer. •’ Captain McKinnon doubted this; they would have naturally imagined that the New Zealand Government had taken every necessary step to search for the missing men:

i Mr Davie thought that every internal means should be exhausted before application for the, assistance was, made outside the colony. ~ , ' [ Mr Turnbull* dissented from, the,action taken by tlie He was not present at'the last'-meeting but understood the-object, of it was a proposal to raise money for , the relief of the survivors' of the wreck.. If such was" the case, he con-sidered-that •a' public meeting of the inhabitants'. should have been called,' and that as. the matter bad nothing to do with commerce,' the Chamber. ;was’ exceeding the limits of Its function in the action it was taking. ' • ■ ; ■ Capfc.M'Kinnon explained that the first meeting'had; been called;at the request of the Government. , v , : : Mr:Webb considered .that the necessities for the erection of a ’ beacon on ( cipal island, and thei formation of d'epSts were closely conneceed with the commercial interests of the colony. It was true that the vessels which had been lost there had not cleared from the port, hut that did not affect the importance of something being done to prevent future accidents. Mr. Moss, agreed with Mr Turnhtdl, that- jt was unwise to apply to’the Commodore or .the; Victorian Government. If the Provincial Government had not sufficient influence to cause the Colonial Goyeremeht to take action, what could the Chamber of ..Commmerpe, which was only

one of a great many, expect to accomplish. CaptrMfKirinori said that the : Provincial Treasurer bad already informed members of the. Chamber that the Government could not go to the expense of sending a steamer away •without a vote 6f the [Council. The Amherst was totally unfit for the serviee, and the. Colonial Secretary had evidently treated the application for a steamer with remarkable coolness. There were plenty of steamers in the- North adapted for. the work, and beyond the.cost of coals no great expense would. have been, incurred iu despatching one of I them. I Mr Turnbull quite agreed that a steanier should be sent to explore the islands at : once. If the General Government, would not .do;so, ; the Provincial Government should,.but.he ..objected .to the. Chamber taking any steps for the, collection of subscriptions. ‘ r '5" i Mr 3>avie thought that when the Provincial Council met money wsuld be voted forless, important objects, and that other expenditure which had never, been authorised would, have been, voted. !

! Mr Moss repeated" his opinion th it the Chamber would. be travelling outside the proper functions : were : it to apply to the Commodore or "outside the,colony.,. What Southland had done should be considered so that, it might’hot he thought that any reflection was cast'upon the%‘ctioh taken .bjy:fchat-Province.--\ / . ‘ ; Captain M'Kinuon replied that there was no intention , in the resolution to cast any; reflection upon Southland! but merely to supjjletheht'iher-endeavors; If'Soiithlaud had made a mistake* in sending a'sailing ■ ivessel, ;that iwas no ' reason why a steamer be .despatched.,. . j Mr Davie did mot-• see why a. direct ap-, plication should hot- be made to the Provincial Go verumeht; 1 Tfc would ; then have to send a steamer, or’give a distinct refusal, >vhich; ; ;cpitsidering;, l .the; late, ;expedition; to Martin’s JB|ay, he .hardly thought w ; aß probable.’, ' •'j' Several other'members expressed .th'eir (opinions; and-Captain M'JfinnonVmotion as •;foll6,wsr<;!was: carried 1 : h 3}hat a , be appointed ; to wait on the .Solicitor- General to urgently represent tHe'need'ibr k setam : e¥ being Him; patched 7 withbuf '^delay ! to the * A uckland and' Campbeli’solalands,; and Bub;Commifctee to induce;-the general ; Goyernmepw,to undertake the duty, to apply Vor jtuh Provincial Governand take’ aiiytniibr'steps , which?may he consideredhec'eii§S!^.’ , -’-- P Tha^o6mmitteb ;th'i consist ;of jMessra Camcki,‘;M*JGunoni I Turnbull,H.l> l river, f llobertsonjPleynoldß, MCb^s,;and,‘Martin.’’,-^ \ \" r „ ’j ’This portibni oithe' busmbsa blithe meet: ting 11 being 1 concluded 1 , Befoi’e the f-notice?;,of; the’n(Jh.aaiber the .desirability i of goffering sucho inducement fithe' to make f .'Port Clial mers?... tbeir, rendezy.Qus. bh J^bcpmpli&hito4 'by presence would give a great impetus to the

d J .thia view offch® fease.TciTbe northern whaling fisheries wer® .carried on sorewstoamers, whifejjtne soUthernjfisheries T had\heen ; asa; dozen whales/hCd; -been seeu idff-'the Oceah.Bea«h;yeatoj|dayv> ?.*'*?:!« j or<coi - Mr= Sise pointed -out that the whalers'' ' would gladly sell/tbeir oil here-if they had?.': an opportunity afforded them, as it, would-’* enable them to return .to . their wort ' picker. --- -- ' ..,‘j -

Mr Garrick: pointed oul; that .with .fch® f , exception of tight Dues all ’tjie' Porfc charges were Provincial,' arid 'afteVa'gene-'. ; ral conversation it was suggested' that Mr • Sise should place his.ideas < -upon the; subject, in the form a. letter .to the Chamber. He agreed to do so, . and the meeting..] ended. • ,'