THE WRECK OF THE TARARUA.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 111, 13 May 1881, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE TARARUA.

[united press association.] Dunedin, l : .!th May. All the seamen declare everything possible was done by the second mate with a view to saving life. Denz wound up his evidence emphatically thus: "If all the steamers in England had been there they conld not have saved a sonl from the Tararna after twelve o'clock." At a meeting of the Tararua Belief Fund Committee, which was held to-day, the following resolutions were come to :—": — " That the committee has to report that the ouly cases brought under their notice have been One from Oamaru, one from Port Chalmers, onf\ from Wellington; one from Auckland, and one from Dnnedin, the latter of which has been relieved, and the party has gone Home. From this it would appear that there is no distress to warrant the getting up of a general fund, and that all the cases are such as can best be met by the looal charities. Should any further cases come to light, they will be considered at a meeting to be held in about a week." The ketch Good Templar left for Waipapa : yesterday, taking boats and a party of men to the scene of the wreck. The Government intend at once to commence diving operations at the wreck for the old silver. THE ENQUIET. U.S.S. COMPANY'S CAPTAINS ON THE DANGEKS OP WAIPAPA. Dunedin, 12th May. The Tararna enquiry was resumed to-day. Thomas Dixon, Edward Johnston, and Frank Denz first gaTe evidence, but it was not of an important nature. All agreed as to the danger to the boat in the vicinity of the wreck, and bore out the second mate's expression of opinion in this respect. — Captain Chatfield, of the Bingarooma, said— l have had about twenty years' experience of the New Zealand coast. I know well the part of the coast where the Tararua was lost. I consider the Waipapa Point one of the most dangerous we have ou the coast of New Zealand. The point is low, and a low reef lies off if, and aily ee'a at all on the coast cause's a vapor to arise, which obstructs the land, and makes it hard for a master to judge his distance off the land. I generally run abreast of Waipapa before I Change my course at aIL I suggest that a red cutting light should be placed on Slope Point, which would cover the dangerous part of Waipapa ; also a post in the Dog Island light, with a red sector showing over the Toby Book. The danger of Toby Bock causes us to hug Waipapa in heavy weather. We always stop till daylight before we come to Waipapa , Point. — Captain Sinclair, of the Arawata, deposed — I agree with what Captain Chatfield has said, except ng that, when the weather is moderately clear, I alwajs sight Dog Island light before changing my course. The light which ought to be on Slope Point should be white to seaward, with a red arc S. 46" W., which would run right across Toby Bock. By this means both dangers would be avoided by one light. I have passed Waipapa about 236 times, nearly always in the dark or in the dusk of the evening. — Charles Steward, able seaman, said — I relieved Donz when he went to get his coffee at about five minutes past 5. He gave mo the course W. This course was by the standard compass. I kept her west. I saw no land and heard nothing. When I came aft the second mate ; was on the bridge. I believe I saw the captain coming down from the bridge when I went aft, but I will not swear to it.- She struck about tdn mintites after I took the 1 wheel. I saw the second mate coming aft to the captain's room, which is jtist abaft the mainmast. That would be about five minutes before she struck. .They spoke together, and the captain sang ant, " Hard a-starboard." Before this I had noticed him looking over the port side. He ran and helped me to heave the wheel round a-star-board. She answored her helm, but I cannot say how far she came round. She , struck immediately afterwards — about a minute after the captain rushed to the wheel. i John Weston, able seaman, deposed — I ro- [ lieved Barnett on the look-out about sor 10 minutes after 5. When I went forward I . saw the loom of the high land, but not the , beach. I heard nothing. I looked towards ■ the bridge, because I had orders always to | keep a bright look-out, but I datr nobody on [ it. I saw some one aft. I don't think I was on the forecastle-head more than from 5 to 8 [ minutes when the ship struck. Just about ■ a minute before she struck I saw the foam : round the vessel, and thought she was in some current. I did not sing out about it. I did not think the foam meant any danger. , I saw nothing else and heard nothing before she struck. The foam was not water break- . ing over rocks. It looked as if it was boil- ' ing. Just as she struck I was in the act of coming aft to Bee what ths foam was. Then she struck aft, and sent me spinning. I «?ot 1 ashore from the mate's boat. I don't re1 collect seeing anyone on the bridge after I 1 went on the look-out.