A TRAGIC VOYAGE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2309, 17 November 1914, Page 7

A TRAGIC VOYAGE

FIVE DEATHS ON THE TURAKINA. The voyage from London completed by the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Turakina last evening was a tragic one. Since the steamer left the London docks no fewer than five deaths took place, three being members of the Gliip'fi company, and the two others third-class passengers. The vessel left London on October 2, and the. first deatli was recorded three days later,\the victim being a young steward named. F. Winkworth, who euccumbed to an attack of pneumonia after a brief illness, and was buried at sea. . '

On October 9, John Lewes,'a ship's trimmer,' said to be a naturalised Russian, committed suicide in the most do-

liberate manner possible by jumping overboard at 4 o'clock in the morning.' Lewes, who signed on in London, was a man of morose temperament, and when the vessel was but a fow days from port 6howed a disinclination to do tho work expected of him. He was remonstrated

with, but apparently without any effect, and when ordered to turn out on the morning of October 9, deliberately threw himself overboard. The steamer was stopped, and.a boat was lowered to search for the man, but nothing was ever seen of him again, and after searching t'he sea in the vicinity of the' incident, tho vessel resumed her voyago. There was something of a mystery about tho man, and it was pretty certain, according to those on board, that the man had signed on under an assumed name.

The third death which occurred was that of tho\ship's surgeon, Dr. D. Llewellyn Thomas, L.R.O.P. L.R.0.5., a young man, who had made one previous voyage to New Zealand in an official capacity on tho Turakina.'. He was seized with pneumonia on October 12, and though everything possible was dono for his relief, ho died three days later, and was buried at sea. Dr. Thomas was a native of Stafford, in England. He was unmarried.

Nine days later, Mr. D, Walsh, » third-class passongor, booked through to Bokitika, who had also contracted pneii)monia, died. Mrs. Walsh was also a passenger to Hokitikii by the Turakina. On the day following Mr. L. Maudsley, a passenger for New Plymouth, who had been suffering from appendicitis, succumbed to tlio _ dovclopinont of that troubleperitonitis.

, To add to tho depression caused on board by so many deaths in a comparatively short period of time, a lady passejigor, who became domontcd, made an unsuccessful attempt to end her life. All on board wore sincerely glad when xthe vessel tied up. to tho King's Wharf lagt evening, '.