ANGLO-NORMAN WRECK.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 36, 29 September 1914, Page 2

ANGLO-NORMAN WRECK.

COAST OBSCURED BY SQUALL.

XPbe Pbebs ASSOCIATION.] Auckland, September 28. Ten members of tho crew of the Anglo-Norman arrived at Auckland by train from Helensville to-day, and reported to the local Norwegian ViceConsul (Mr R. Millar). "I, can't'see that the wreck was the , captain's fault, or anyone else's," said one of the crew (an Englishman), in describing the occurrence to a reporter. "We had a pretty bad passage up from Dunedin, with head winds pretty well I all the way. We had to lie off Kaipara Heads for nearly a week before we had a chance to got in. On Saturday morning a westerly wind came up, and we made for the entrance. It _ was a fairly clear day, and one could • see the beacons quite well. The wind couldn't have been better, and it seemed af if we were going to be across the bar in a very short time. Suddonly a heavy rain squall came down on us, and completely blotted out the land. We couid see nothing but mist and rain all round, and in a short time we were in the breakers. The wind was gusty and fitful, and sometimes it dropped, to calm. The captain did aio<tj shorten sail,- but tried to steer by the compass. .That was the only thing m couici possibly have done, because there was no room to put the ship about, and when you are on a bar you must keep way on. I knpw the Kaipara bar well," he remarked, "for i have beep over it scores, of times. The part we .were on is what they call 'The Grave Yard.' Well, we kept a sharp look-out lor any sign of-land through the squalls, but there was absolutely nothing to bo seen, and about an hour later we struck bottom, evidently on sand. The barque seemed to settle firmly,, and spray began to break over her. Not many seas came aboard, and we were never in any real danger. The captain did everything possible after sho struck, but we could do nothing for „., u„,„. n ,- mo™ for the weather was

an hour or more, ior wi» ««««.•*« . still thick, aud no land could be seen. About three hours after striking—that is, about the middle of the afternoon—wo lowered a boat and took a line to the beach, which was loss than. a hundred yards away. We got our goods together, and by keeping the boat going to and fro on a Hue we were soon all ashore, the captain coming off last of all. At the lighthouse they treated us splendidly, gave us hot food, and helped us to dry our clothes, for we were all wet through. Wo really couldn't repay the keeper for his iundness. He couldn't have done more, however much we had paid j

'him, but we should like to thank him. We'slept the night at the lighthouse, and yesterday morning we left lor the pilot station, where we got another warm. welcome, and then all of us except the captain and the mate caught the boat to Helensville. When we saw the last of her, the barque was full of water, and was burying herself in the soft sand. Probably in a week or two there will be nothing but her mast to be seen." The Anglo-Norman being a foreign vessel, the law docs not require a nautical enquiry to be held. If an enquiry is held, it will' probably be a departmental one.