THE WRECK OF THE KIA ORA.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 144, 17 December 1908, Page 9

THE WRECK OF THE KIA ORA.

STORY OF THE SURVIVOR. HIS STRUGGLE FOR LIFE. [BY TELEGRAPH — rRESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, 16t'h December. Captain Piercey, who lost his life in tho wreck of the scow Kia Ora at Kawau, was a half-caste Maori, and had been in the employ of Messrs. Macklow Bros, for 18. years. He has always been regarded as a good seaman, one of the best on the coast. James Piercey, who was also drowned, was an only son. He is married, but has no children. Thomas Young, tSi.e cook, the third victim, is also an Aucklander. He is a son of Mr. Archibald "Yfaung, a wellknown shipwright of this city. Gossop, the man saved, is a half-caste Maori, whose parents reside in Auckland. Thp crew were making what might be regarded as their first trip. Captain Piercey was in charge of the vessel some time ago for four years. Until lately he had been on tfcp Wairoa, and was making his initial trip on the coast. It is probable that tho Kia Ora went ashore on the reef on the north-west side of the island. The coast thereabouts is very rocky and the sea, in weather such as the present, would be running very iigh. Several vessels have at various times been wrecked in this locality. The Herald correspondent at Leigh telegraphs : — About midnight on Monday, during tho heavy gale that raged on the coast, the Kia Ora went ashore on a jutting reef on the outer side of Kawau Island. The sole survivor states that she struck at about 12.15 in an intense darkness, and with a heavy sea running at the time. It was impossible to see the bow of the vessel. Thft captain, thinking himself well clear of Kawau Island, and wishing to keep clear of the Canoe Rock, altered his courfce two points to starboard. Almost immediately after the scow struck a submerged .roc^ and was immediately swept by a huge sea, which, smashed her against the rocks, carrying her spars overboard The cook was swept away by the same wave and was never seen again. The vessel started to break up, and the captain and his son, with the survivor, found themselves clinging to a rock which was being swept by occasional seas and a ceaseless spray. The tide was falling, and so later on they were less in danger of being washed off, but the cold wind and spray kept them in a state of helplessness and misery. At length, when daylight broke, thesurvivor said ho -would not stay there to be drowned by the incoming tide. He struck out for the shore, and after 20 minutes' swimming he landed ashore at the foot of a steep cliff, fairly exhausted. He looked back after clambering up the cliff a little way, but could see nothing of the other two, either in the water or on the rocks, and it can only be surmised that they followed his example, and tried to swim ashore, or' were washed from their hold by a big wave. They were not eeen again. The hurvivor climbed painfully up tilt; cliff on what little precarious holding he could find, and eventually reached a cottage, where he was received and welcomed, and news sent in to Kawau Mansion Boost The survivor is naturally mtich exhausted, but was reported well at the time the s.s. Kawau left Kawau Island for Omaha. The vessel is broken anto Tsev-'aral pieces, one part of the hull being upside down, whilst the torepart is aslant, inside the rock she struck, and the deckhouse ashore turther along.

In expressing his thanks to the G.P.O. telegraph and mechanicians' staffs for a presentation yesterday, Mr. D. Robertson, chief secretary, said it was hoped to stait classes of instruction in a month's time. His idea was that in a growing department like that of the -tplcgraphs, they should provide their own experts— a wish that justified, tho examinations to which oflkotfi .jvjbjkOj novj. takiaejifl. .£juus__