http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4893790  

CORPSES KEPT IN JARS.

"Dear me," said Mr. Quong Tart, Sydney's principal. Chinaman, on Tuesday when informed of the disaster in the steamer Ventnor, by the wreck of which coffined corpses of 500 Chinese were recently lost. "Chinamen will regard that in a very serious light." "Do you know," continued Mr. Tart, "that it has cost the Chinese people in New Zealand some thousands of pounds to fix up for the return of those re- mains to China. The Chinese community generally will feel deeply grieved-not so much for the loss of money, but for the loss of the remains. It is a custom among Chinese to preserve the remains of their people. In China, after a body has been buried, say, for about three years, the grave is re-opened. Of course, there are only the bones left. These are carefully cleaned, and placed in a large jar – in a sitting posture, as near as they can get. If the family be rich, the jar will be very costly; if the family be poor, well, the jar will not be so gorgeous-any way, a jar of some sort is obtained. It is sealed down, then taken to a place-a happy place-and left there. The members of the family visit that place a couple of times a year, and rejoice-they say they are all there together again and are glad. In English countries people are careful about looking, after the graves of their departed loved ones and tend very carefully the flower beds at the grave In China it is different. They preserve the remains, as explained, arid have a happy time with them about twice a year. I dare say there are thousands affected by the disaster. When that news gets round there will be sorrow all over China. Where- ever there are Chinamen there will be the greatest grief. Chinamen are, not ungrateful towards one another, and I have no doubt the question, of raising the ship, or recovering the coffins, will be discussed. It is not a matter of cost, for I have no doubt that subscription lists will be opened, and a lot of money raised to assist the ship-owners or underwriters, or the Chinese them- selves might get a diver to work. As 1 said, if s a very serious matter with the Chinese, and no doubt every consideration will be given to it. If the remains can be recovered, you may depend upon it, a big effort will be put forward to, do so."

 

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 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4893041   

Auckland, October 29.

The steamer Ventnor, which left Wel- lington on Sunday last, with the corpses of nearly five hundred Chinese on board, for Hongkong, has foundered off the New Zealand coast, after striking the rocks off Cape Egmont.

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New Zealand AUCKLAND, December 29.

The Chinese are spending much money in an attempt to recover the corpses lost in the wrecked steamer Ventnor. They are prepared to spend thousands to get the body of Mr. Sew Hoy, a wealthy Chinaman.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4911216 

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889-1931)

Tuesday 30 December 1902

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THOSE DEAD AND GONE CHINAMEN - THE Ventnor CONSIGNMENT -  IN THE BOSOM OF THE OCEAN BURIED.

The "Otago Daily Times" of the 27th  gives the following interesting account of the preparatory work at Port Chalmers in connection with the shipping of the remains of dead Chinamen per S.S Ventnor to China, which consignment was utterly jost by the foundering of the vessel.

"The coffins containing the remains of the Chinese who have died in various parts of the South Island during a num-ber of years were taken down to Port Chalmers in seven covered railway vans on the 17th inst., and their removal to the steamer Rimu was proceeded with the first thing on Saturday morning. The operation of removing the coffins to the after hold of the steamer was supervised by a party of 15 Chinese, and was watched with curious eyes by a small gathering of Port residents, who probably expected to witness something of an uncommon character.

It may be mentioned that each coffin bore on the end particulars in Chinese characters concerning the deceased whose remains it contained. There were also shipped 11 small cases in which were the personal effects of the dead men The number of coffins from Dunedin was 263 (84 large and 181 small), from Grey mouth 173 (66 large and 107 small), and there were 86 on board from Wellington, so that the total was 474. These, together with the 11 cases pf personal ef- fects, will be taken by the Rimu to Wellington, and transhipped to the Ventnor,  which will convey them to Hong Kong.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article9590689 

The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860-1954)

Monday 10 November 1902

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INSURING CHINESE CORPSES.

The 500 coffined Chinese corpses which were lost by the wreck of the steamer Vent-nor on the New Zealand coast on Tuesday, October 28, were insured for £4,650, which represented the expense which the Chinese incurred in ' disinterring the remains and in preparing them for shipment to China.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4897048

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NORTH has started TV1. Sunday 7.00pm. The next episode (Sunday 27th February 2011) is about the Hokianga and the VENTNOR PROJECT http://tvnz.co.nz/north/3993892

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http://www.bonefeeder.com/ The Bone Feeder is a 75 minute play, a contemporary reworking of the historical sinking of the SS Ventnor. In 1902 the coffins of 499 Chinese sojourners from Otago and Wellington, being repatriated to their home towns in China, were lost near the Hokianga Harbour. The play follows the trials of a young man called Ben who seeks to find the lost bones of his great great grandfather and to bring them home, and of Kwan, a man who emigrates to NZ in the 1800s and has to decide where he belongs. Combining theatre with aerial stunts and martial arts, live music, shadow play and dance, the play is a fictional exploration of what is for many Chinese New Zealanders a very real and significant piece of their history. The play also explores one of the first times of contact between Maori and Chinese. The Bone Feeder is a New Zealand play with a difference. It's a contemporary Western theatre piece which draws on the traditions of Asian storytelling. VENUE: TAPAC, 100 Motions Rd, Western Springs, Auckland DATES: Thursday 10 November – Sunday 20 November (Preview 9 November) TIMES: Tuesday – Saturday @ 7.30pm (Sunday at 4pm) No performance Monday 14 November Tuesday 15 November matinee @ 12pm

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Background The story of the SS Ventnor and its ill fated voyage is one which immediately tears at the heart. How a grieving and then-insular Chinese community raised money to send its loved ones ‘home’; how those promises to family sank to the bottom of the ocean in an unknown harbour; and how the remains were found and honoured by the people of that land, is a history that should be more widely known in New Zealand. But then, the history of the Chinese in New Zealand is one that has remained largely undiscussed in our history books and literature up until now. What is even more poignant is that this history is still being written. In early 2009, some of the descendants of the men lost on the Ventnor visited the Hokianga for the first time, to meet with the local Maori community and discuss how best to honour those lost. A documentary is in the making. Those interested in knowing more about the Ventnor Project can email Wong Liu Shueng at wongls@interculturalworks.co.nz. This work, though entirely fictional, is dedicated to the families of those lost on the Ventnor, and to the people of the Hokianga who made those spirits welcome all these years. History of the Play The play was first written and performed in 2009 as a University of Auckland production, supervised by Assoc Prof Murray Edmond and with Renee directing. It went on to a short touring season in 2010, as part of the Hamilton Garden Arts Festival and the Palmerston North Festival of Cultures. This season was directed by Simon Zhou. In late 2010 the play was invited to be part of the inaugural Stepping Stones development program at TAPAC, funded by Creative NZ. Margaret-Mary Hollins, Fiona Samuel as dramaturg and Lauren Jackson as director became involved in the project at that point. Professional premiere In 2011, The Bone Feeder premieres in its professional debut at TAPAC, Western Springs, Auckland, supported by Creative NZ and the Asia NZ Foundation. Season dates are 9-20 November 2011, 7 pm shows + selected matinees.

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How far would you go to find your family? In 1902 the coffins of 499 Chinese immigrants from Otago and Wellington were being repatriated to their home towns in China when their ship, the SS Ventnor, tragically sank near the Hokianga Harbour. The Bone Feeder follows the trials of a young man called Ben who seeks to find the lost bones of his great-great grandfather and to bring them home, and of Kwan, a man who emigrates to NZ in the 1800s and has to decide where he belongs. Exploring one of the first times of contact between Maori and Chinese the play is a fictional exploration of what is for many Chinese New Zealanders a very real and significant piece of their history. Written by playwright and poet Renee Liang and directed by Lauren Jackson the play uses poetry, music, drama and comedy and features a multicultural cast who perform together with musicians playing traditional Chinese and Maori instruments. The Bone Feeder is a New Zealand play with a difference, a contemporary Western theatre piece which draws on the traditions of Asian storytelling. www.bonefeeder.com Cast Kwan Gary Young The Ferryman Rob Mokaraka Ben Kevin Ng Wang Charles Chan Dan Llanyon Eli Joe Sam Willie Ying Chorus Henry Cheng, Monica Mu, Benjamin Teh, Ally Xue

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A GRUESOME CARGO.WESTPORT, this day. The steamer Ventnor, now here loading coal for the China naval station, is being fitted up to carry the bodies of the disinterred Chlnese from Wellington to Hong Kong. Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 247, 17 October 1902, Page 5 Defunct Chinamen. Dunedin, October 19. The s.s. Rimu to-day shipped at Port Chalmers 265 coffins containing the remains of defunct Chinamen, which will be transhiped at Wellington, the s.s. Ventnor taking them to China. Colonist, Volume XLV, Issue 10544, 20 October 1902, Page 4 THE INSURANCES.WELLINGTON, October 29 Of the coffins carried by the Ventnor, 489 are insured in the Alliance Company for about £5490, and the fungus is insured for about £320 in various-offices in Wellington. DUNEDIN. October 29. The Alliance Assurance Company had a risk of £4650 on the Ventnor's bodies, numbering 480, and of this amount £1860 was reinsured in the South British. Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11777, 30 October 1902, Page 5 The bodies came from Greymouth, Wellington, and Dunedin. Wreck of S.S. Ventnor. Missing Boat Washed up. Auckland, November 11. The missing boat from the wrecked steamer Ventnor, with wreckage and numbers of cases, has been washed up on the beach north of Hukatere and this appears to confirm the worst fear as to the fate of Captain Ferry and his boat's crew. Later, a boat branded "Ventnor" and two boxes containing corpses of Chinamen have been washed up opposite Tekao. Colonist, Volume XLVI, Issue 10564, 12 November 1902, Page 4 VENTNOR WRECKAGE. (Per United Press Association.) WHANGAREI, November 13. A private wire states that the Parengarenga Beach, on the West Coast,is strewn with wreckage from the Ventnor, also a boat and two coffins, one o£ the latter containing bones, numbered 328. Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10798, 14 November 1902, Page 6

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FOUNDERING OF THE VENTNOR. With Chinese Bodies Aboard United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Auckland, October 29 The steamer Ventnor from Wellington, bound for Hong Kong, loaded with bodies of resurrected Chinese, struck Cape Egmont on Sunday night, and foundered off Hokianga. Two boats containing the officers and part of the crew, have landed. The rest of the crew were seen in two boats seven miles out. The steamer Energy has been sent to their assistance. Later. The Ventnor had five hundred Chinese bodies and 6400 tons of coal. A Star special wire states that on Monday at 12.30 a.m. the vessel struck on the rocks to the southward of Cape Egmout. After a short time she managed to get off, and proceeded on her voyage, but the water gained in the No. 1 hold till Tuesday, when the ballast tanks were found full of water, and the steamer was going down by the head. On Tuesday evening she became unmanageable, and was found to be gradually sinking. About 9 p.m. she was going down fast, and all hands were ordered into the boats, which had barely time to clear before the steamer sank. The Hofciauga head light was seen at the distance of about ten miles. Two boats, pontaining the chief officer (Cameron), sepond and third engineers and fourteen of the crew, landed on the Oraapere beach at flaylighfc this morning. Another boat is sighted, and is expected to arrive shortly. The third boat's crew from the Ventnor is reported safe. Wellington, October 29 Of the coffins carried by the Ventnor, 489 are insured in the Alliance Company for J85490, and the fungus is insured for about £320 in the various offices in Wellington. The Ventnor was four inches light of her marks, as not sufficient coal had arrived from Westport, and as she was on time, the charter agent despatched her without waiting for more. Greymouth, Oct. 29 One hundred and seventy-seven Chinese bodies, or bones, the remains of samp, were shipped at Greymouth. Some had been in the cemetery for 20 years, while others had never been interred. The Chinese community here are in a great state of excitement over the foundering of the Ventnor with the bodies aboard. Dunedin, October 29. The Alliance Assurance Company had a risk of.£4650 on the Ventor's bodios, numbering 480, and of this amount £1860 was reinsured in the South British. The bodies came from Greymouth, Wellington, and Dunedin. 1 The Ventnor was under charter to the Admiralty to take coal from Westport to Hong sqng. She belonged to the Ventnor Shipping Company, of Glasgow, where she built in 1901, and was a steel steamer of 3961 tons gross, 346 nominal horsepower.

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Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7600, 29 October 1902, Page 2

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