Today in History

1995 Forgotten Silver film hoax screened

Film-makers Peter Jackson and Costa Botes' groundbreaking documentary about Colin McKenzie, the handsome young lost hero of early New Zealand movie-making, screened on TVNZ in the Montana Sunday Theatre slot. The documentary was later revealed as the biggest Kiwi film hoax of the century.

The programme was backed up by a lengthy interview in the Listener magazine, in which Jackson explained how he had discovered his neighbour's late husband's collection of 35mm reels. The myth of Colin McKenzie took television viewers by storm, prompting scores of letters from astonished viewers enraptured by the discovery of these early New Zealand film gems.

When Forgotten Silver was exposed as a hoax the very next day, viewers were both amused and distressed by Jackson and Botes' skilful deception, which was reminiscent of Orson Welles' 1938 War of the Worlds Halloween broadcast.

1894 SS Wairarapa wrecked on Great Barrier Is

In the third worst shipwreck in New Zealand waters, 121 lives were lost when the Union Steam Ship Company steamer Wairarapa struck Miners Head, on the northern tip of Great Barrier Island, 90 kilometres north-east of Auckland.

The Wairarapa was a well-known steamer plying the route between Auckland and Sydney. Only weeks before this tragedy the ship had set a record for crossing the Tasman. On this fateful trip the Wairarapa was carrying 170 passengers and 65 crew.

In thickening fog, Captain J.S. McIntosh maintained 13 knots, nearly full speed. A number of crew and passengers were concerned that the ship was going too fast. Shortly after midnight the steamer slammed against cliffs of Great Barrier Island. As water began to flood in through a hole in the hull, the Wairarapa listed to one side. Many of those on board slid off the deck into the sea; others were swept away by heavy seas. Horses, sheep and other cargo were also swept overboard, adding to the confusion and risk for those in the water. Two lifeboats rescued 50 people from the sea, but other boats were smashed or swamped when they hit the water.

Those passengers and crew left on board either clung to the rigging or climbed to the ship's bridge. When daylight arrived a steward swam to shore with a line. Passengers were then hauled through the water. The survivors huddled on the rocks for more than 30 hours before being rescued by local Maori. As the only contact with the island at the time was via a weekly steamer, news of the shipwreck took three days to reach Auckland

In all, 101 of the 186 passengers and 20 of the 65 crew died. The resulting Court of Enquiry found that Captain McIntosh's actions were the primary cause of the tragedy. As well as maintaining excessive speed, he was judged to have taken the wrong course from Three Kings Islands and not made allowance for currents.

Image: the Wairarapa sinking (Northern Cemetery)