LOSS OF THE TARARUA .

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 104, 4 May 1935, Page 33

LOSS OF THE TARARUA .

(By "Argus.") Last Monday marked the fifty-fourth anniversary of one of the greatest disasters ever to' take its place on the sinister record of the New Zealand coast—the loss of the Tararua. The premature report that the passengers and crew were all safe, followed as it was without warning by the news that some 120 of the 150 people aboard had been drowned, shocked the people into a realisation of the perils that confronted the small steamers of the day. . ( The Tararua was a ship of 850 tons gross, actually 124 tons less than the Hata of today, which ship we are accustomed to class among the small coasters. But the Rata, with her twin screws, her engines developing 196 horse-power, and her wireless and safety gear, would nin far fewer risks on the intercolonial passenger run than did the ships of a former day. The Tararua's nominal horse-power was rated at 160. Built in 1864, the Tararua first entered the intercolonial service under the flag of the old Panama Company in 1865. She had to her credit on this run a very smart passage between Sydney of 4 days 12 hours. On one occasion she crossed from Picton to Wellington in 4£ hours. After the Panama Line fell through, with the Intercolonial Mail Company, the ship went into the hands of McMeckan and Blackwood. In 1878 she passed under the flag of the Union Steam Ship Company. ON OTARA KEEF. On April 29, 1881, while running down the coast from Port Chalmers en route for Melbourne in light, misty weather, the Tararua drove full on the Otara Reef. Although hard aground, the vessel was held firmly enough to prevent undue anxiety being felt by those on board. The shore was only .half a mile away, and the people on shore could be plainly seen. Although in the immediate vicinity the rocky nature of the coastline made a boat landing very risky, there were at least two good boat harbours

within a few miles of the spot. Unfortunately these were not known to the ship's people, who, being deep-sea sailors, knew little of the intricacies of the coast.

In the calm weather prevailing, Captain Garrard ordered overboard three boats, each capably manned, to search for a suitable landing place. He realised the urgency for getting the passengers ashore, and was fully aware of the exposed position of the ship. With almost tropic suddenness, a wind sprang up and swiftly increased to gale force. Huge combers, driving before the wind, hammered the wreck, and in the late afternoon ithose still on board could see plainly the people who thronged the cliffs, powerless to aid them.

The plight of the boats was, at that time, even worse than that of the parent ship. Almost helpless ,in the breaking surf, they were swept away towards the rocky shore. One swamped almost immediately, another, halffull of water and almost unmanageable, was thrown ashore. The third, more fortunate, was able to fight its way round the lee side of the ship into the comparative safety of open water.

On the wrecked vessel, passengers and crew thronged the landward rail, watching for help from the cliffs. The horror of the day was added to when the overburdened rail gave way, and precipitated sixteen people into the surging water. At nightfall, many of the settlers turned helplessly homeward, and the steamer Kokanui, which had just put in an appearance, had to make'out to sea again to save herself in the uncertainty of dusk. THE LAST ACT. Throughout the night watchers could hear the cries of people on the vessel and the ominous thunder of the breakers. The ship was taking a terrific pounding, and bit by bit was breaking up. In the darkness she was stripped down to a bare hull, and shortly before dawn the final act of the tragedy took place. A loud report was heard as the vessel tore herself in two, and fading cries told of the fate of those on board. When daylight came all that the watchers could see was a lone spar marking the grave of the vessel. As a result of the marine inquiry held on the disaster, it was recommended that henceforward all ships trading round the coast should be compelled to carry lifebelts for the maximum number of passengers and crew. At the time, also, much was said about tha faulty survey of the New Zealand cdastline, which had been responsible for the loss of many ships. In many cases courts of inquiry on the circumstances of the stranding of vessels refused to consider the possibility of the shins' officers being in error because of the known inaccuracy of the coastal surveys. The vicinity of the Waipapapa Point had a sinister reputation in those days. The low-lying point with its dangers jutting well out into the sea, is a difficult point for mariners to pick up. As a result of the Tararua disaster, a request made as long ago as 1864 was granted, and a light was established. Prior to that, the Aldinga, Prince Alfred, and Gothenburg had struck, the steamer Coomerang had'stranded on the point on August 8, 1874, the steamer Easby had also gone aground on September 16 of that year, and the

A DISASTEE OF THE EIGHTIES

barque William Ackers had become a total, wreck with the loss of eight lives on December 11, 1876. The only total loss subsequent to the erection of the light was that of the barque Star of Erin on February 6, 1891.