FIFTY YEARS A WRECK.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3811, 28 June 1928, Page 2

FIFTY YEARS A WRECK.

THE FATE OF THE HYDERABAD THWARTED ATTEMPTS AT SALVAGE. Monday was the 50th anniversary of the wreck of the Hyderabad, the vessel having been driven ashore between Hokio and Foxton on June 25th, 1878 (says the Levin Chronicle). It has remained a fanous landmark, but in the last few years the waves have taken toll of two of the three masts, and slowly but surely rust is eating into the half-inch steel plates of the hull. It will he a long, long time, however, before the wreck ceases to he a conspicuous object on the foreshore, and although it lies in a somewhat featureless neighbourhood it marks a locality which is of particular interest to fishermen, both those who use (he line and the more determined who row ‘out to the feeding grounds. / Like many another ship that- has gojie to its rest, the Hyderabad has become the subject of romantic tradition, and it is said that she was built for a Sultan of the Indian State after which she is named. However this’ may be, it is known that she was a steel brigantine of 1100 tons and was on her way from Lyttelton to South Australia with a cargo of railway material, which had. been imported into New Zealand, but which, having been built for a 4ft. Biin. gauge, was not suitable for this country and was sold to South Australia.

A howling south-westerly blew throughout the night- of June 24th, 1878, and about three o’clock in the morning rockets were heard bypeople living at Hokio, which was then an old settlement, although Levin had not come into existence as a town. The explosions caused much excited speculation, because a scare of Russian invasion was current and settlers hearing the sounds thought that Wellington was being bombarded. Daylight brought enlightenment, for a groom came in land, from the accommodation house, which then -stood at Hokio, to Mr. Rod. McDonald, who was living at- the Horowlienua Lake, and stated that a big ship was ashore and that the captain wanted a horse to ride to Otaki. Mr. McDonald’s brother, the late Mr. J. R. McDonald, of Heatherlea, took the horses out- and accompanied Captain Holmwood, who was in command of the wrecked vessel, to Otaki. The Hyderabad had struck bow on to the sandy beach, and was lying out in the breakers, which were sweeping her from stem to stern. All the canvas had been blown oil the yards, hut the masts were still standing and practically no damage had been done to the vessel. She had carried a crew of 40 men and one passenger; they had taken to the boats when she struck, and all had reached the shore safely, finding temporary accommodation in Maori fishing whares near by. The captain’s wife was amongst the ship’s company. As the coach was running down the beach, the news of the wreck quickly spread, and by the afternoon over 500 people were on the spot, many of them coming as far as Waikanae and Foxton. The weather moderating somewhat during the afternoon, the first and second mates, with several sailors, returned to the ship. Nothing, however, could he done beyond removing some personal effects, and no further attempt at salvage was made for several months, during which time most of the crew remained at the beach. Thereafter three men, Messrs Bowe, Burchley and another, trading as Bowe, Burchley and Co., took a contract for delivering the railway material to Hartley’s Bend, on the Manawatu River. The vessel was lying below low-water mark, and a cable was fixed to a position near the top of the foremast and attached to a post on the beach. The material was hoisted up to this cable by a donkey engine, and it ran down the cable on a cradle by its own weight. ’ Two railway engines, a number of carriages and trucks, a large quantity of wheels and parts were taken out and were carted by bullock-dray to the river. As the boat was lightened she drifted further ashore before' the prevailing westerly. Later a Air. Ross undertook the job of floating the vessel, and he actually got her to a position where the next high tide would lift her. She was a. fated ship, however, for during the night a storm arose and the cable parted, with the result that she drifted ashore again, this time broadside on, as she lies now. The wreck was next sold for £l5O to a Air. Keltic, who also made an attempt to re-float her. By this time she had a hole in the hull and a considerable quantity of sand and water had come in. An engine was fixed to pump this out, and operations were commenced, hut, as if to further seal the Hyderabad’s fate, the vessel caught fire and was burnt out. Some plates were afterwards removed from the side, hut it was found that the vessel had been so strongly put together that it would not pay to take her to pieces.

The figurehead, a fine piece of carving, representing a Hindoo with turban, robes, sash and dagger, was taken to Foxton by Mr. Burchley, and was for many years in his garden in the Avenue. [The figurehead, mentioned above is still to be seen in the garden of Mrs Jonson, Avenue Road. The signal canon, wrich was also on the wreck is now lying in Ihakara Garden. —Ed H.j