STORMY WEATHER AFLOAT AND ASHORE.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 112, 13 May 1899, Page 5

STORMY WEATHER AFLOAT AND ASHORE.

THE. TAKAPUNA HAS A SEVERE EXPERIENCE. A SEAMAN WASHED OVERBOARD AND DHOYViNED. REMARKABLE ESCAPE OF THE CHIEF OFFICER. HOW OTHER VESSELS FARED. DISORGANISATION OF SHIPPING ARRANGEMENTS.

The wintry weather Avhich set in earty in the Aveek, and has continued more or less severely ever since, culminated last cArening in a shrieking southerly gale, accompanied Avith heavy shoAvers of rain. Great gusts of Avind shook habitations in exposed positions in the city, and the rattle and clatter of loose odds and ends made sleep almost impossible. The stormy Avcather Avas not confined to the land, and it Avill probably be found that those at sea durisg the pas(> 36 hours have had some severe experiences. Most of the smaller coastal vessels Avquld of course seek shelter in some of the many protected spots aloug {.he coast, but many of the larger vessels Avould sinipiy light it out! Lager Avatchers on the Avharf this niornipg were gratified to see the s.s. Takapuna, 'til hours irom New Plymouth, show lound Point Halswell. As she came uj£the bay the spray Avent flying over the bridge, and it was evident that the coastal greyhound had undergone a rough experience. This supposition Avas verified Avhen she neared the wharf, for there Avas a terrible mess at the after part of the vessel, made up of broken boats, badly dented davits, damaged talloAV casks, etc. But a Avorse tale Avas to be told. A sailor named AudreAV Hughson had been Avashed overboard, and the chief officer, Mr. Williams, after a providential escape from the same fate, was badly injured. Williams, O. Jacobs (chief steward), and M'Grath (a lamp-trimmer) Avere standing in conversation at the door of the smoking-room, on the port side of the vessel, Avhich Avas then about a mile from the Heads. Suddenly a mountainous sea came sweeping down on the steamer. Mr. Jacobs cried out " Look out, it is coming on top of us," and simultaneously Avith his Ayarning he made a dart into the smoking - room. Ai'Grath followed him, but was janibed in the doonvay, from which ppsition he was extricated by Jacobs. After the" sea had cleared away, Jacobs and M'Grath looked round to see Avhat had become of Williams and Hughson. The chief officer Avas discovered with the greater portion of his body through the rails at the side of the vessel, and hanging on by his left arm to prevent himself tailing into the sea. He was speedily extricated from his dangerous position, and was found to be almost insensible, having apparently been stunned by the force oi the sea carrying him through the railing. His escape Irom being -washed overboard was a truly remarkable one. He was found to be badly injured about the face and head and portions* of his body. His injuries Avere temporarily attended to until the arrival of the steamer in port, when medical assistance was obtained. f -No trace of poor Hughson Avas discovered, and it is certain that he Avas Avashed overboard and drowned. Nothing was seen of him after Jacobs uttered his warning cry, Jacobs and iu-oriath were under the impression that the unfortunate man had sought a safe spot. Captain Grant Avas promptly informed of the occurrence, and he at once ordered a strict search to be made of the missing man, but without successful recults. Hughson, who was about 32 years of age, Avas a native of Shetland, and had only been in the Takapuna for a short time. He came to the* colony with the Moana on her maiden trip. The body was AAasued up in Tarakihi Bay soon after midday. The &ea Avhich caused such dire results Avas also responsible for considerable damage at the after part of the vessel. The two boats sloAved on the after-house Avere completely smashed, the port davits tAvisted and bent, several of the deck fit.tings damaged beyond repair, and a number of cases of tallow were Avashed overboard. Those on board had spent a most unpleasant night, the shrieking of the gale and the mountainous seas running, together Avith the rolling and pitching ot the vessel, giA'ing all an experience they are likely to long remember. In the engine-room Avork was carried on Avith the greatest difficulty. \A hen in the centr of the Straits one of the valves Avas found to have carried away. There was a chance that perhaps something else Avould go, in Avhich case the consequences might have been most serious in the " Narrows." Mr, BroAvn (chief engineer) decided to make Avhatever repairs were necessary, and after three-quarters of an hour's delay she proceeded on her voyage. Captain Grant has faced many a s.lonny sea, on this coast, and has ventured out in the Takapuna in weather that feAY would care to meet. He is, however, quite satisfied that the present trip is absolutely the Avorst he has ever undergone. From Cape Egmont fearful seas Avere running, " and," &nid the genial skipper, Avho, when our reporter so-av him Avas literally caked Avith spray that had beaten over him Avhile on duty on the bridge, ' 'no boat Avill cA r er go out to-day unless there is a considerable decrease." Mr. Jacobs and his staff did everything in their power to make matters as pleasant as possible for the passengers under depressing conditions. One effect of the southerly gale is to place the shipping companies — particularly in the case of the Union Company — at their Avits' end to make satisfactory arrangements for the convenience of the travelling public. Generally speaking, the service is quite disorganised, and as the gale shows no signs of wearing off, it is difficult to say when matters will resume their normal state. Mountainous seas are running in the Strait and betAveen the Brothers and TeraAvhiti, and the sight is said to be- a magnificent one. The Haupiri, which left Nelson on Thursday night, is reported to be under Long Island. At the present time there is not much chance of her or the MaAvhera and Brunnelr, from. West-port, coming into port until a very late hour this evening. The two steamers from Westport have doubtless sought a sheltering haven in Ohau Bay. While the Mokoia Avas coming up tho entrance this morning one tremendous

'jfiea bioko c;ii board, which washed two i,v.omeii passengers for some distance felong tho alley way and buried several J'oungstors up to their necks in water. i/Vbuut 9U nu mites beioro her ai rival the dnfiini child of Mrs. Corroford, a steorsigo passenger, died front oongeution of iho lungs, brought on by teething. The jeuild was thii'c weeks old. The weather was responsible- for the fWakanui not being able to woik Timaru. '{•■ihe Mas reported oil" Banks. Peninsula irvesierday alternoon, and ordered oh to jWellingcon. As tho Avind Avas too violent to permit vessel, in her present li^ht condition, to be berthed with safety, she dropped iuichor in the stream. PasFuu;ors by the Union Co.'s vessels ff^ve notihod that in consequence of the ?um-ai rival of the Haupiri, Mawhera, imd Bi-unner, the departure of these fvessels has been postponed until Monjtluv. Captain Manning, of the Rotomahana, <!did not attempt the task of plugging against the .seas to Lyttelton, and ho stayed in poib yesterday, hoping that a iavoupblo change would take place this .Tnorning. Her departure has now been •postponed till Monday at 5 p.m. 'It so happens that the % Te Anau is not 3 diving Lyttelton to-night, otherwise lltere would have been no necessity to «end the Rotomahana to the Southern Qt'iorb. The Rotoili is announced to .sail ,?it. 8 to-night with the outward 'Frisco 'imail, but. in the words of ('apt. Grant, •n>f tho Takapuna, " she hasn't the ghost <»f a show of getting out." Hhould this ha no. Captain Robertson Avill defet his 'departure until to-mori-cw morning, in ;wh'\ch case ho -would still have plenty jof time to catch the mail boat at Auekd.vnd. (Since the alxive was in type the "l?otoiti's departuie lu>s been fixed for A fo'eloek to-morrow morning. The Mokoia #<]eavos at 9 o'clock to-night.) Both the Klingamite "and the Mnraroa ' had a lively time before they cleared the ■Heads yesterday, and the spray could be Feen going over tho masts of the vessels. It. w;is not until 3.10 p.m. yesterday that the Waikaro, with the Southern portion of the inward 'Frisco mail, finished an exceptionally rough trip from iWellington to Lytteltou. The departure of several of the small steamers is further deferred until tojtmorrow. The Takapuna's departure for Nelson, jTTaranaki, and Ondiunga is postponed un--,'til Monday, and that of the White Star iiLiner, lonic, to -4 p.m. the same clay. t Tho Eotorua, which arrived from Nelterm and Picton this afternoon, had a feartful time after coming out of Tory Chan'iiel this morning. The Koas in the Straits v/eve running mountains high, so much so that when coining into Wellington heads, - -where tho Avaves looked particularly dangerous, oil-bt«gs were hung out. This had ±he effect of breaking the force of the ;water, and *?jia,blud the vessel to get ihrough safely As another illustration of the severity ■of the gale, it might be mentioned that the Mararoa, Avith all her reputation for f-pecd, did not reach Lyttelton till 10 past ,2 this afternoon, after n passage of about i 22 hour-: from Wellington. Thi j re is still a tremendous sea running at jthe Heads late this afternoon, and the gale shows no signs of abating 1 . Rarely Ims Wellington experienced the ■weather Avhich has prevailed since Thursday night. The velocity of th-e Avind for the 24 hours ended at 9 o'clock this morning was 510 miles, Avhich "was for., the most part registered during the night. Nearly an inch of ram fell during the night, bringing tho total tor the 12 days just a few points short of the average usually rc?;i.-,tored for the Avhole of the month (4.88 in). Last night's minimum temperature in the shadrj Avas very loav (39deg), though it was tAVo degrees higher than Wednesday's temperature. Besides the rain, hail, and sleet fell during tho Tiigb.t, and it is noticed by this morning's telegraphed Aveather charUliat the cycle of the .siorm extended its radius to Christclrurch, Avhero snow also fell. The gales hwe not touched oi'Jicr the extreme north or south of the colony, the two points readied being T-.tupo, in the North, and Ohnstchurch, iiv the South, Wellington bemrr exactly in the centre of the radius. A.L all places noi-th and south of the storm urcle a high barometer Avas noted this fnorning, Avhi3st in Wellington at midday ./here was no sign of the glass rising. [BY TELEORAPII — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CnRISTCHTTRCH, THIS DAT. The weather still continues very rough, nm\ to-day rain and hail shoAVers have fallen incossantly. It is bitterly cold, and a strong south-west Arind is bloAving. The Chiistchurcli Et'cing Club's meeting has again been postponed — till Wednesday [next— and all football matches have been ■declared off.