RIVER STEAMER WRECKED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 750, 24 February 1910, Page 6

RIVER STEAMER WRECKED.

PASSENGERS SAFE. A NERVE-RACKING TIME ON , WANGANUI. - ' ; (By.Telegraph —Special ;Correspondenti;'' \ .■ ■.'.■■■ ; .Wanganui, February 23. , Messrs.' Hatrick : and Company's steamer. * ■;; Wairua was wrecked ,at 7.30 o'clock last : ; night, -.sevenmiles . above oPipiriki. v . Thirty rfeengers ..'from',, ■ Taumatunui).,; mailing, the. through trip, were, on bpard,:'.: , mostly English' and-Australian:;tourists, ~ Thevsssell.which-was. v tivo hours' late, " bumped- over some, dangerous rapids/ and .' caught pn a snag which, tore a -hole four - : feet., long in her hull,. forward of the bridge.. The; sWpper'Tan the boat; asho'ro. • ' -on ''."a 'rtony bank; neair by.., ; Fires . were,; :..' lighted,; hot,, tea was . served, also pro?' ; visions. ' ■ ,',, :A raft was hastily constructed, and • two pf' the crei? sailed .dowri;'to,Pipiii3ri.-; : ; , at. ten. o'clock" 'to',procure,.help,. and f at.' 1.30 this morning a.relief ;stetuher;t>r-.: nyed. , , > ; Another nerve-shattering experience followed. 'From ,2 'o'clock-nU si,tho relief ; .boat, bumped and turned and scraped her. way . down, oVor , the rapids,' in': the : weird, gloom of; overhanging hush reaching'to',. ' the water's edge. . ' •'• - One lady, Miss Jacob, of Dublin, has already endured. a similar,' experience: in the. Waikare in January. Last nighft incident'grcat!y_upset her.' Tho luggage m, the hold, whero the "Wairua struck, was badly damaged; At Pipirilri the passengers transferred: to;the; 1 Wanganui boaC; Some, too fatigued,-re-. . . •mained at Pipiriki; others are recruiting , : in Wanganui. • ■; ■: All on board accepted, the situation ■ with much philosophy. Tho master and crow (lid all-possible to minimise'tho trouble, and the action of the two men iiv going. down the river. on a: small l raft. . over ■ , dangerous.; rapids'' . aroused. much ' ■ praise. • '■