TE AWHINA'S TRIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 129, 2 June 1922, Page 5

TE AWHINA'S TRIP.

THE WAVE-SWEPT WRECK, TOO ROUGH TO RENDER .ASSISTANCE. Mr. W. D. Grant, customs boarding officer, who went to the Barrier in the Auckland Harbour Board's tug To Av,hina on Thursday morning, returned to Auckland by the Waiotahi this ingMr. Grant states that the tug went Etraight to the scene of the wreck and reached Rosalie Bay between 11 a.m. and noon. The Wiltshire was lying bow on to the shore and it could be spen then that her back was broken. Members of the crew could be observed on the fore part of the ship, and there -were also a number of people, probably settlers, on the shore. The tug cruised about for some time, but huge seas were breaking over the stern of the Wiltshire, and as it was impossible for the tug to render any assistance from seaward the captain decided to proceed to Tryphena. The Moeraki arrived at Tryphena in the evening and landed a party of bluejackets and life saving apparatus into the tug, but only with some difficulty; owing to the heavy sea that was run* ning. It appeared to Mr. Grant that the land in front of the Wiltshire was more in the nature of a hill than precipitous cliffs and if the men could only reach the shore they would soon reacjh a place of safety. The party of four that was rescued last evening had not reached Tryphena, when he left there, and it was probable that they bad been accommodated in some of the settlers' houses for the night. It was still blowing very hard a.fc the Barrier at 6 o'clock this morning. TREMENDOUS SEA RUNNING. TERRIFIC STRAIN ON ■WRECK* The Waiotahi returned to Auckland at noon from Tryphena Bay, "where ehe had been etanding-by with the Katoa.

The chief officer of the Waiotahi stated that -when they left Tryphena Bay at six o'clock this morning there was no fresh development beyond the rescue of four of the crew. It was quite impossible for the Waiotahi or Katoa to go around to the ocean side of the island. A tremendous sea was pounding on the coast there, and the remnant of the Wiltshire must be withstanding an awful strain. However, it would take a lot to break down the construction of the big ship, and although those on board might be -uncomfortable, there wae little doubt of their eventual rescue.

The tug Te Awhina had reported to the Waiotahi that she could not get within a mile of the Wiltshire in the raging surf. Of course, there were possibilities of disaster as long as the heavy weather lasted, but all the chances wera in favour of a complete rescue. .