WRECK OF THE SOUTHMINSTER.
NO LIVES LOST.
The Southern Cross, which arrived on Sunday night, reports sighting tho ship Southininstcr, 1243 tons, Captain McFee, 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 A.S.S. Company, tho mate, purser, and two hands, to see if we could render any assistance, when they found the vessel had four holes in her bottom, and that the water was washing iu and out with the rise and fall of tho tide. At high-water there was about 7 feet of water in her hold and at low water about 1 foot. The captain and his wife had left for the Kaikoura telegraph station that morning, but we gathered the following particulars from Che mate:—The ship went ashore on Friday morning early on Shepherdess Reef 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 lieswitharock throughherbottom. 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 Go., of Wellington. The mato 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 tho ship’s boats, but nothing had been dono towards landing tho 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 tho wind from tho N.W. as it now is all the cargo and running gear ought to bo saved, as tho sea is quite smooth, and the vessel close to tho 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 tho cases are floating about at high water. The crew reported that they were in want of nothing, having lauded enough stores, and made a tent out of some sails. They declined to accompany ua to Wellington, on account of tho absence of the captain, so tho steamer proceeded ou her course after a detention of about two hours.
The Kiwi, which arrived at an early hour the same morning, also reported having seen the wrecked vessel, with her sails flying loose, as described above.
Wo were informed that the Stella had gone to tho scene of the wreck.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18781206.2.62
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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5521, 6 December 1878, Page 7
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473WRECK OF THE SOUTHMINSTER. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5521, 6 December 1878, Page 7
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