A TIMBER SCOW ASHORE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8090, 21 April 1906, Page 2

A TIMBER SCOW ASHORE.

WRECK ON THE OAKURA BEAOH. THE VESSEL ABANDONED. Early on Friday morning word-was received in New Plymouth that a vessel had run on tho rocks near Oakura during the night. The unfortunate vessel proved to bo the scow Warrior, of 73 tons, owned by Cai)tain Seymour, of To Kopuru, and in command of Captain Anderson, and carrying a crew of four men. She was Auckland built, and only about eight years old. The Warrior brought a load of timber to New Plymouth, and discharged about 39,000 feet, leaving again]|on Thursday afternoon, about 3 o'clock for Wanganui, still carrying 15,000 feet of timber, including a big deck load.

Captain Hood, harbormaster, fearing a dirty night, suggested to the skipper that he should remain in port till early on Friday morning, when the dredge could givo him a tow out, but Captain Anderson was anxious to get to the end of his voyage, and left that afterI noon.

There was only a light south-west breeze at the time, and by 5.30 p.m., when darkness foil, the wind had veered to north by west. Nine o'clock saw the scow off Oakura, with a light south by sou'-wesl wind, which shifted to south, aud died away. The vessel refused to go about, and it took about a quarter of an hour to wear her round. By this time the sea had set her inshore, and the Captain dropped anchor. There was no hold, however, and tLc scow drifted on to the rocks a little distance from the point where the illfated Gairloch struck, off the mouth of the Wairau creek, and opposite Captain Mace's house. Tho crew left her, taking tho ship's papers and their personal belongings to the beach, where they camped. Captain Auderson has been working ilong this coast for about 14 years, and lias been in command for about a year. The crew stripped the vessel, as far as possible, yesterday, bringing blocks aud other tackle ashore, besides placing the remaining boat high on the beach. There is littlo chance of the vessel holding together very long, as tho bottom is stove in, and sho is hard and fast.

Mr J. H. Hempton, Collector of Customs, and Sergeant Haddrell visited the wreck, and advised the captain to salvage everything possible as long as the hull remained intact. The vessel was uninsured. At low tide the vessel x as high aud dry, and on Friday afternoon was boarded by women aud children, a< well as the malo residents in the vicinity. She was lying almost on the roadway made for the purpose of unloading the wrecked Gairloch.