DETAILS FROM THE SCENE

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 48, 24 February 1917, Page 6

DETAILS FROM THE SCENE

SALVAGE PROSPECTS HOPEFUL

PASSENGERS REMOVED TO THE

MONOWAI,

An.Evening Post reporter who visited the scene of the wreck, telephoned this afternoon that the vessel struck on a full tide, and that she is lying perfectly fast, with'her bow :about 40ft from the shore. She is "up by the head" for some 12ft, and, as far as can be seen, is fast from the bow. to amidships. The stern, however, is afloat, and it is possible to work the engines, which, as a matter of fact, were working for some time time after the vessel struck. . ,

There appears to be a good prospect of the vessel being refloated at high tide. . '. ■ .

At 2 p.m. passengers were being transferred to the Monowai in the Monowai's boats, drawn by the s.s. Natone.

The vessel struck within ten minutes' walk from Mr. E. Riddiford's homestead, which is in the vicinity of the mouth of the Orongorongo River.

At present (2.15 p.m.) the sea is smooth. It came up this morning, with a southerly breeze, but has now gone down. The vessel is in a. very exposed position, and her condition will be far worse should a southerly wind begin.

At present it is impossible to hold communication between the shore and the Mararoa.

Observation from the shore suggests that there are "nasty" rocks astern of the vessel. Those who have visited the locality consider it remarkable that the ship should have forced herself into the position she now occupies. THICKNESS OF THE FOG., 3 p.m. Residents in the locality of the mishap state that this morning the fog was very thick, and the first intimation they had that something was amiss was the noise of the syren and the reversal of the engines. Some of the residents scrambled out on to the rocks as near as they could got to fdie vessel, but in spite of the fact that the steamer was only 40 or 50 yards away they could not make her out in the fog. Someone on board called out and enquired where the vessel was, and the reply was given : " You are on the Orongoronga beach, seven or eight miles from the Pencarrow Heads."

No one has yet come ashore from the I.vessel, and. consequently there is no means of ascertaining whether the ship is making water or not. She still has the use of her engines, and the smoke is coming from the funnel. '■': ' PASSENGERS. OFF. . At. 3 o'clock most of the passengers had been taken off Ithe ship "ami towed to tlie Monowai. The Monowai is lying about: two .miles off. The. Terawhiti,which arrived about 2.p.m., has got a line on to the Maxaroa., and ie evidently preparing to endeavour to get her off. ■. ' The passengers are being lowered over the side by means of improvised seats attached to slings. The;calmness of the sea makes this an easy operation.

This afternoon the tide is.making, and it is now impossible to. converse with those-on.,board the vessel.. '.' :. \ •:!