THE WRECK OF THE KIWI. FULL PARTICULARS OF THE MISHAP.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 88, 14 April 1894, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE KIWI. FULL PARTICULARS OF THE MISHAP.

Captain Campbell, of tho steamer Kiwi, which foundered nenr Glonburn on tho East Coast, on "Wednesday afternoon, returned to Wellington by tlio Duco last evening, together with his officers uud otow. HKUDKPAKTUUK. Cuptuin Campbell state? thai when ho left Wellington on Tuesday evening laht the - vessel had iv cargo of 150 tons, a portiou of which was for Glenburn station. About daylight tho following: morning she it' rived off the station, but owing to a stiff jiorth-westerly wind tho orew wore unable to start landing for soino hours Af tor t-ho hod been there some time, tho breeze o.oderated, and at 1 o'plook tho sea "us auiontli enough to permit of tho enrf-boat working, 'i'en tons of cargo wer» putrajhoro at Glonburn, und ( a few tninntcu after 4 o'clock thu anchor was weighed, and a start was uiado for t lat Point, about nine miles lurthor up tho coast. The order " Full spued ahead" was givmi, Captain Canrpboll being anvions to bring .up at I1I 1 lat Faint for the night The cuptain was at the helm until passing tho Kahu Hocks, when ho \\us relieved by ono of the crew, who was ordered to koep tho vessel going fc. by N. ha f >>'„ and bhe was kept on that courso until blib was about a quarter of a milo away, bearing S.s-WV. THE bTEIKKNQ. About 25 imiiutespaet 4 Captain Campbell wrs still on tJio bridgo Mr. Greenwood, the one/iucer, t-tau'-iu* olneo by, when the vessel p i uzed Eome biinkcn objt ct. bhe touched »o> lightly that noue of the men below felt a bump. Ihu order was at once given by Captain Campbell to sound 'he pumps, and in a minute or two Mr. Picker, the mate, toporled thai: (hero was no water in the well. Tiiis inveatiga'ion tatiefied tho captain and thu nmto ttat slip had not been damaged, but about ten minutes aftorwards Captain Campbell, on looking over the stcamor'n Bide, was nurorised to sco tho water levil with the Plinuoll mark, and ho cried out, "She ia sinking.'" Tho mate said "Non8- ns»," and th* pumps being again. Rounded, failod t> draw. By order of ti.e cap turn the batches woro taken off and during the operation tho mato looked down the chain looker, a glance into which showed that there was 7ft of water in the well. Finding that she was sinking, Captain Campbell had her head turned to the shore in the hope of beaching her. No Booner, however, had hor conrße been altered than the water began to pour in at a great rate, and it was evident that she was doomod. The shore was then distant about thico miles, and she was travelling at the rate rf seven miles an hour. No time waß lost in putting ont the Bnrfboat, and all on board, consistingof captain* offioers, and crew, the little daughter of themate, and a passenger from Glcnbnrn toFlat Point (Mr. Ferror), 16 in number, wore Boon in her. As the boat was pushed off, the steamer's deckß were covered, and tho water was coming up to the top of the combings of the hatchway. Very little pi operly was saved, Captain Campbell and some of the men losing ovory thing. When the snrf-boat was about 30 yards away tho men at the oars took a rost, and witnessed, her disappear stem first in 30 fathoms of water. OFF TO THE SHORK. Tho foundering of the vessel was observed by the Maoris at a pah near the shore, as well as by Mr. Moore, the proprietor cf Glenburn. That gentleman had large fires lit in the open, and they served to guide tho survivors to the shore. Mr. and Mis. Moore and family received tho party on landing, and took them up to the station, treating them with the greatest kindneip. At half-past 2 tho next morning, one of Mr. Moore's sons and the engineer started on horsebai k for Tavern, and at that station they telegraphed the news of the wrock to Wellington. Tho Duco left tSlenburn at 10 -yesterday morning, and arrived here at 030 last night. " Kg shipmaster was better acquainted than Captain Campbell with that part of the coast whore the vessel struck. Thirty-four years axo he made his first voyage to Glenburn, and for tho past 18 years ho has traded tliore in the Kiwi. Ho is known as one of the most careful skippers on the coast, and since his return he has received numerous oxproßsiona of sympathy. A preliminary enquiry into tho stranding of tho voßsel will bo hold betore tho Collector of Customs next woek.