Battle over 'ghost ship'

Politics have scuttled an event to celebrate the discovery of the "ghost ship" SS Ventnor, which sank off Hokianga in 1902.

Thirteen New Zealand seafarers died and remains of 499 Chinese miners, being repatriated to their homeland, were lost in the disaster.

Later this month the Ministry of Culture and Heritage was to have acknowledged the Ventnor Project Group, which located the wreck 16 km off Hokianga Heads last year.

Opinion: Shaping the 'ghost ship' narrative

Using high tech gear elite divers descended an astonishing 150m to survey the wreck. While this feat may seem worthy of recognition, complications were probably inevitable.

Two parties have competed in recent years to control aspects of the Ventnor narrative: The Ventnor Project Group, led by film maker John Albert and the Chinese Historic Ventnor Group, whose spokesperson is Rawene woman Wong Liu Sheung. Mr Albert is making a documentary; Ms Wong is writing a book.

Ms Wong's group has publicly attacked the divers for "disturbing" the wreck, though Mr Albert insists they approached it with utmost respect.

The event in Wellington was to have centred around presentation to Te Papa of a few items taken from the ship to identify it.
Mr Albert said the day was supposed to have been for the supporters, some of them Chinese, of the non-profit dive project.

Ms Wong confirmed she'd made representations for her group to take part also, but Mr Albert said that would not have been appropriate.

For now, items retrieved from the Ventnor remain in the care of the police.