This week we look at a postcard, taken by Ernest de Tourret, that captures the demise of the S.S. Muritai on the rocks of Big Chicken Island on May 27, 1908 (2019/43/10). The stern of the ship looks perilously low in the water and this photograph captures the slow descent of the steamer to the seafloor. The extent of the damage was not fully realised at the time, due to heavy fog and the relative gentleness of the collision. Although the ship had been repaired from other incidents in 1888 and 1892, it was not recoverable from this situation.
The Muritai, formerly known as the Bellinger, was a well-travelled ship. She was built in 1884 in Scotland, but serviced routes in Sydney Harbour, on the southeast coast of Australia and crossing the Bass Strait to Tasmania. In Australia, the Bellinger was predominantly a trading ship, although passengers were also taken on those trade routes. In 1897, she was sold to the Northern Steam Ship Company. It was in this transaction that her name changed - she was renamed Muritai. Muritai in te reo Māori means sea breeze and is also the name given to the introduced Norway rat. In the 1890s, the Northern Steam Ship Company started giving its vessels Māori names.
On May 27, 1908, the steamer was travelling from Russell to Auckland with passengers and cargo. Captain Hopkins had handed over to the second in command, W. Allen, at midnight. It was a calm night, but a thick fog settled over a few hours later. Unfortunately, the captain was called upon too late to avoid the rocks. Fortunately, no lives were lost. All passengers and crew were able to evacuate, crossing a ladder to make it to shore. There was even enough time to retrieve much of the cargo (and to take a photograph). This was achieved due to a last-minute directional change that shifted the contact point on the hull. If this change had not been made the ship would have sunk within 10 seconds. Due to the conditions, it was uncertain when their rescue would arrive, so they set up a makeshift camp on a sheltered beach using gear from the ship. Conditions became favourable and the Coromandel came to assist. Passengers were in Auckland by the evening.
In the case of the S.S. Muritai, the fault lay with the compass. It was a maritime accident and so does not have the significance of the other wrecks such as the Niagara and the Puiri. These two ships have a strong presence in our local history due to the larger stories they are a part of. These shipwrecks are nationally significant due to their WWII associations. We have a display cabinet in the Exhibition Hall dedicated to the Niagara, and the Puriri has a memorial at Ocean Beach dedicated to those lives lost.
