WRECK OF THE SOUTHMINSTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5517, 2 December 1878, Page 2

WRECK OF THE SOUTHMINSTER.

NO LIVES LOST. The Southern Cross, which arrived here last night, reports sighting the ship Southmiuster, 1243 tons, Captain MoPee, twenty-three hands, and the captain’s wife (a passenger), on shore inside Kelp Reef, while on a voyage from Lyttelton to Wellington. Despatched a boat immediately on shore with Mr. Lodder, manager of the AS.S. Company, the mate, purser, and two hands, to see if we could render any assistance, when they found the vessel had four holes in her botooin, and that the water was washing in and out with the rise and fall of the tide. At high-water there was about 7 feet of water in her hold and at low water about 1 foot. The captai and his wife had left for the Kaikoura telegraph station that morning, but we gathered the following particulars from the mate:—The ship went ashore on Friday morning early on Shepherdess Beef while the vessel was shaping N.E. by N., with light winds and thick foggy weather, where she knocked the rudder out and afterwards drifted inside the kelp bed, where shenow liesvvitharook through her bottom. She was built in Quebec two years ago, but is now owned by a London firm, her cargo being Yankee notions, McCormick's reapers and binders, and American organs, from New York, in all between 400 and 500 tons. She was consigned to Messrs. W, M. Bannatyne and Co, of Wellington. The mate was unable to give any particulars about insurance, although he believed both the ship and cargo were partly insured. All the crew had landed with their effects by noon on Friday in the ship’s boats, but nothing had been done towards lauding the rigging and cargo,—in fact the sails were all loose and flying just as they were when she went ashore. It is considered hopeless to attempt to get her off, but with the wind from the N.W. as it now is all the cargo and running gear ought to be saved, as the sea is quite smooth, and the vessel close to the beach ; though with a S.E. wind she would go quickly to pieces, and nearly everything be lost or seriously damaged. The portion of cargo consisting of organs will be completely damaged, as the cases are floating about at high water. The crew reported that they were in want of nothing, having landed enough stores, and made a tent out of some sails. They declined to accompany us to Wellington, on account of the absence of the captain, so the steamer proceeded on her course ofter a detention of about two hours. The Kiwi, which arrived here at an early hour this morning, also reported having seen the wrecked vessel, with her sails flying loose, as described above. We were informed that the Stella had gone to the scene of the wreck.