SS Ventnor: Anger at recovery

Monday, 24 November 2014

Members of the Chinese community say they are alarmed not to have been consulted over the diving missions to the SS Ventnor wreck near Hokianga in Northland.

The New Zealand Chinese Association said today they weren't consulted throughout the process and were forced to lodge a protection order on the wreck to protect it.

The ill-fated SS Ventnor left New Zealand in 1902 carrying the bodies of 499 Chinese miners who died here and couldn't afford the passage home.

READ MORE: Wreckage recovered

The gold miners had been buried in New Zealand then disinterred. Their remains were being sent home so that, according to Chinese culture, their souls could be tended to by their families and they could finally be at peace.

The ship hit a reef and sank shortly after leaving New Zealand.

Now the ship has finally been found and some artefacts removed, it has caused controversy and rifts amongst the communities involved. 

A conference was held last week to show objects from the wreck which will be given to the Chinese government.

Leading the mission is Ventnor Project Group John Albert and vice president of the New Zealand Underwater Heritage Group Keith Gordon.

In January, the first divers dived the 147m-deep wreck, spending about 25 minutes investigating and filming its remains. 

This was repeated in April and some artefacts were recovered.

These, including plates, a porthole window and a bell, will be given to the Chinese government.

New Zealand Chinese Association spokeswoman Wong Liu Shueng said the association had thought the wreck would be protected by its depth but now moves had been taken to protect it. 

The community was angered by the thought of artefacts being sent to China as they were significant to the Chinese community in New Zealand. 

She said the next step would be to try and ask for the artefacts back.

No evidence of human remains have been found yet but Gordon said there was a lot more of the wreck to explore.

Though the wreck was not listed by Heritage New Zealand at that time, it has since been classified as an archaelogical site after requests from the Chinese Association. No more activity can be undertaken to modify or destroy the site unless authorised.