WRECK OF THE S.S. TARARUA.

Evening Star, Issue 5660, 30 April 1881, Page 2

WRECK OF THE S.S. TARARUA.

THREE BOATS SWAMPED. ALL THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WASHED OVERBOARD THE VESSEL A TOTAL WRECK. ONLY SEVENTEEN PERSONS SUPPOSED TO BE SAVED. [From our own Correspondent.] WYNDHAM, April 30. The special correspondent of the ' Southland Nowb ' wirta from Toia Tois aa follows : " Arrived here from Wyndham at 2.30 this (Saturday) morning. The tilings from the wreok are that a terrible disaster has happened to the Tararua, whioh struck on the Otara Reef, about half a mile from shore, at five o'clook yesterday morning } it Is supposed during the heavy f eg. The oaptain and chief mate were reported to have been below at the time when Bhe struck. The engineer tried to reverse the engine, and broke his leg. The women rushed on deck in their night-dresses, but the heavy sea soon washed moßt tf them off. Three boats were got out, but wero swamped. One got away seaward, and one oame ashore, landing Ave or six men, The steamer parted amidships and a number of persons perishid. Several are still clinging to the wreok. A man with a child in his arms is lashed in the rigging. A number of settlers are on tho beaoh anxious to render assistance, and a great many turned heart-sick at seeing their fel-low-creaturcß yerieh before their eyes and they unable to render any help, The tjtal number ashore is twelve men; so far it is supposed that all the women and children perished. The beaoh is strewn with wreckage and cargo, Only one body had been washed ashore last night. It is said the cries were heart-rending when the people on the wreck saw those on shore leaving at dark."

The William Aokera was wrecked on the same reef four years ago. The s.s. Gothenburgh has also previously struck on it. INVERCARGILL, April 30. IS is stated here on private authority, for which we do not vouch, that of the passengers numbering about 160, and the orew numbering thirty-nine, only fourteen in all heve been saved from the wreck. COMPLETE LIST OF PASSENGERS AND CREW. The following is as complete a list of the passengers as the Union Company have been able to supply, and it may be aocepted as all but perfect : From Dunedin to Melbourne.—Saloon : Mr W. 0. Ramsay, Mr J. 0. Eva. Steerage : Meßsrß R. Rae, Georgo Grey, James Young, P. Anderson, William Dobson, J. Dobson, J. Bainbridge, Harry A, Cook, C. Shrevar, M. Dowdall, H, N. G. Andrew, John Barry, Robert Wright, George Robins, George Martin, Anderson, Robert Brown. From Dunedin t» Hobart.— Steerage ; Mr and Mrs Bryant. From Dunedin to the Bluff.—Saloon: Mr Bailey. From Auckland to Hobart.—SSoorage: Miss Mary Kelly. From Auckland to Molbourno.—Saloon: Mr Wil'iam Bell. Sieerage : Mrs Donz, Messrs Chatterton and Sarah.

From Tauranga for Hotart.—Saloon : Mrs Bronnan and throe children.

From Napier to Melbourne,—Steerage: Mr J. Daly. From Wellington to the BlnfF.—Sieerage s Mr Penman.

From Wellington to Melbourne.—Saloon ; Mr C. Burgett, Mr R. S. B. Shaw-Marßh, Mr and Mrs E. W, M. Downes. Steerage t Mr Thalia, Mr T. O'Sullivan, Mr Williams, Mr Charles Holt, Mr T. Davie, Mr G. Wiltshire.

From Lyttelton to the Blaff.—Steerage : Mr Lawrence, Mr Sharp, Mr Boyle. From Lyttelton to Melbourne.—Rev, J. Rev. J. B. Richardson, Mr E. Mitobell, Rev. J. Armitage, Mr E. Connell, Dr Campbell, wife, and five obildreD, and female servant; Mrs W. B Jones, Mr John Gordon, Mr J. Waterhouee, Mr Charles Gongh, Mr Crawford, Mr Gillingham. Steerage: Mr and Mrs Hill and child, Mr J. Wallace, Mr William Young, Mr B. Hanson, Mr J. Sooon, Mr T, Jones, Mr Wm. White, Mr Daniel Davia, Mr Carl Carlberg, Mr Neil Gough, Mr W. Green, Mr W. Baasett, Mr J. Ashworth. Officers and others.—Master, F. G. Garrard ; chief officer, R. Lindsay ; eeoond offiosr, E. Maloney; chief engineer, Alexander Munro { second do, Alexander Livingston ; third do, Andrew Sutherland; purser, W. B. Jones { carpenter, John Morrison } chief steward, C. Ellen j stewardess, Mieß Aitken.

Crew.—Deck hands: J. Logan, lamp trimmer; E. Johnston, A B. j J, Weßton, A B.; T. Dixon, A.B. 5 J. Burnett, A.B. \ C. Stewart, A.8.; G. Horan, A B. } F. Derry, A.B. j T. Nicholson, A.B. 5 J. Gibb, A.B j H. Poison, A.B. j E. M'Dermott, boy. Eogine department. W. Adams, doDkey-man j D. Corbett, fireman; W. Liban, fireman ; A. Armstcad, fireman } F. Rohl, trimmer 5 J, Maher, trimmer; H. Fitzpatriok, trimmer j S. Armstead, trimmer. Steward's dtpartraeut. James Warren, second steward; W, Brien, bedroom steward; J. Carfdodge, bedroom steward } W. Smith, pantry-man; T.Haynes.seoondpantry-man ; W. Collins, fore'Oabin steward ; W, Davidson, second fore-cabin Btewardj Charles de Sllva, mess-room steward; Antonio Muickelief, chief cook { Louis Kalmeua, at end cook. DETAILS OF THE WRECK. [By our Special Reporter.] BLUFF, April 80. Trie Tararua ha» completely disappeared. It is believed that only seventeen were saved. The seoond mate, a steerage passenger named Hill, and six seamen have been pioked up in a boat; while nine were landed on the beaoh. The Hawea left Port Chalmers at fivo o'clock yesterday afternoon, and stood S.W. until 4.80 a.m. to-day, when her engines were eased to dead slow. At 0.80 we saw a flare of light on our starboard beam. We bore down, and at soven o'clock found it proceeded from the ketch Prince Rupert. A boat was immediately put off from her, and on its arriving alongside we found that it belonged to tho Tararua. It had eight men on board, including tho second mate of tho Tararua (Mr Maloney), who was in charge. Having taken the men on board, tho Hawea proceeded on under easy steam, and presently found herself in tho midst of a mass of floating wreckage and debria of cabin fittings, cases, mail-bags, trunks, etc., which were strewn thickly over tho surface for miles. This was fatal evidences that tho steamer had broken up. At present only seventeen are known to be saved, viz., eight men in tho second mato's boat, eight seen to land, and one who swam ashore with the news. Of the eight saved in the boat tho names of only four have been ascertained, viz., James Maher (engineer's storekeeper), William Hill (steerage passenger), Mr Maloney (second mate), and James Burnett (seaman). The other four saved in tho boat were seamen, two of them being Dutchmen, but their names have not been ascertainable, as a boat is away with them. The Kakamii, which had come round from the Bluff, was hanging round tho scene of the

wreck. Captain Sundatrum Haw nothing of the Tararua last night, but he saw lights ashore this morning, and advised that boats should be sent to search the coast. Two boats were accordingly sent on that mission. Until they return nothing definite is known respecting the probable number of the saved. The Kakanui picked up one body—that of a man with a passage ticket for England in his pocket. The Hawea picked up a little baby girl, the daughter of Mr Hill, the steerage passenger already referred to. Eight mail-bags have been recovered out of about thirty on board. None of them contain English letters, those picked up being mostly Hobart and Launceston letters. ' The account given by the second mate is substantially as follows: —The ship struck about five o'clock on Friday morning. The night had been very dark, with a thiok haze over the land. Both officers and captain were on deck. Captain Garrard thought that lie was far enough to the southward to clear "Waipapa Point, and gave instructions to alter the course to the west, so as to head for the Bluff, for which port he was bound. Ten minutes before the ship struck tho captain went aft to verify hia course by the Btandard compass. While he was doing so the j second mate found that the vessel was in a j dangerous position. The course was altered immediately, but too late, for she struck on a reef to tho northward of Slope Point, the ship being on the weather side of the reef, exposed to tho heavy swell. The second mate was sent with a boat's crew and one passenger to look for a landing-place, and a second boat despatched with tho chief officer with the same instructions. One of the crew of the second mate's boat (James Maher) swam to the reef with great difficulty to see if it was possibleto land people there. Meanwhile the boat In charge of the chief offioer capsized. Mr Maloney, however, says that five persons were seen to land from her. He (the second officer) afterwards took his boat back to tho vessel, and then returned to the reef, bringing three steerage passengers. Somo of tho crew who were supposed to be ablo to swim jumped overboard but were not seen again. Maher swam to the boat and was taken on board greatly exhausted. This very plucky action ocourred early in the morning. The other two boats belonging to the Tararua were washed out of tho davits by a sea and smashed up. After taking Maher on board the second mate tried to get alongside the steamer again but found it impossible, as the seas wero making clean breaches over her.

The women and children were congregated for safety in the smoking-room. The second officer could do no more, and Btood out to sea in his boat in tho hope of obtaining assistance from passing vessels. The Prince Rupert picked them up at 2.30 a.m. to-day. It is believed that about 130 were on the steamer all told. Tho Hawea takes the news to tho Bluff. Everyone on board her is in a great state of uncertainty as to who are saved and who drowned. The ship probably struck between a quarter and half-a-mile from land. This statement ia corroborated in all essential particulars by Mr Hill, tho passenger saved. [Per Press Association.] WYNDHAM, 11.35 a.m. No particulars are to hand as to the names of thoee saved, but they are supposed to be all seamen, I BLUFF, 2 p.m. The Eawea merely called in here to land letters. The wreokage is strewn everywhere. The Kakanui and Hawea have gone to try and render any assistance. CHRISTCHURCH, April 30. I The following is a corrected list of the | passengers booked from Christohuroh : Dr and Mrs Campbell, five children, and servant; William Young, S. C Gillingham, Joseph Wallace, Benjamin Hanson, Mr and Mrs Hill and child, Carl Carlberg, Thomaß Jones, J. M. Dean, John Gordon, William White, J. Sooon—a'l for Loudon, J. A«h» worth, 1, Waterhouse, Rev. Mr Waterhouse, W. Green, W. Basaett, Charles Gongh, Mrs W. B. Jones, E. Connell, E. Michell, Rev. J. Armitage, R;V. J. B. Richardson—all for Melbourne (the last four bfing the Christohuroh representatives at the Wesleyan Conference). Mr Laurence was a passenger from Christchurch for the Bluff. OTHER PARTICULARS. We are indebted to Mr Wheeler, of tbe Union Company, for the following telegram : Maloney and boat's crew boarded us before daylight. He left tho Tararua at dusk yesterday, being unable to communicate with her. The sea was then breaking over her. She has now entirely disappeared, so I fear that many lives are lost. Only seventeen of the crew and steerage passengers are accounted for so far. Capt. Cameron and Mr Maloney landed at Boat Harbor, and have proceeded to the neighborhood of the wreck, which is seven miles distant. I expect them back during the afternoon. Meantime, we have run to the Bluff to send information. Tho Kakanui remains in attendance.—J. Mills. It is estimated that about twenty-five people took out passages after joining the steamer at Port Chalmers. Of these we have ascertained the names of four. John Barry is said to have been at one time engaged as driver of Iveson's Green Island coach. Dennis English, William English, and Alexander M'Kenziewero shearers. The last-mentioned is well known in the Otepopo district, where his father kept an hotel for many years. The Raes are brothers, who came down country in the early part of the week to proceed to the Mount Browne diggings. At the mid-day prayer-meeting held in the Garrison Hall to-day, the Rev. Mr Best, in referring to the news of tho wreck, said:—" I do not wish to say anything that may cramp your joy j but it is as much a Christian duty to weep as to rejoice. Wo have read news of tho wreck of tho ship Tararua, and it is said that there are only twelve persona saved out of moro than 100 passengers and crew. Three of our (Wesleyan) ministers were on board, ono of whom has spent forty years in his high mission in New Zealand. It is moro than likely they have all perished, and I have to ask the prayers of the congregation for the families now in such deep distress." Mrs Hampson then engaged in prayer, and made special reference to the catastrophe. The following is a copy of a telegram despatched from "Wyndham at 11.35 this morning to the New Zealand Hardware Company, of which Mr J. O. Eva, one of the passengers, is manager at Dunedin: —" No particulars about passengers to hand; none but seamen supposed to be saved." Wo learn that the Bank of New Zealand had shipped old silver (called in by the Government) to the value of L 4,000 by the vessel. It was insured in Melbourne, but with what offices is not known hero.

Mr George Martin, who joined the vessel at Port Chalmers, came from near Timaru, whero his relatives reside.

Mr Kamsay is the eldest son of the Rev. D. Ogilvy-Kamsay, minister of Oloseburn, Dumfrieshire, and nephew of Mr Keith Ramsay, of this City. He had come to the colonies for the bonefit of his health and was returning Home. We boliove that Captain Garrard was making his last trip before being married to a lady in Melbourne. He was only twenty-nine years of age, and is understood to bo the youngest captain in the Intercolonial service.

Mr Bainbridgo was a cousin [of Mr Mackay, of Mackay, Bracken, and Co., and was returning to the Old Country in ill-health. Our Christchurch correspondent telegraphs:— " Dr Campbell is a well-known Christchurch practitioner. He has been in tlio Colony for twelve or fifteon years. He first practised in Lyttelton, and subsequently removed to Christchurch, whore he succeeded in getting together a largp practice. Ho lately decided on paying a visit to tho Old Country, and intended being absent for nine months. He took his passage by tho Tararua to join the Orient at Melbourne. Mr E. Connell and Mr E. Mitchell are tho lay representatives to the Wesleyan Conference. The Revs. Messrs Armitage and Richardson are well known Wesleyan clergymen, and were also on their way to Melbourne to attend tho Wesleyan Conferenee. Mr Dean, of Dean Brothers, tin-workers, Christchurch, was on his way to London to purchase and bring out the latest machinery used in their business." We understand that Mr L. Rodgers, boob seller, of Invercargill, was not on board. He missed his passage at Port Chalmers on Thursday evening, and went home overland yesterday. The way in which Mr Rodgers missed the steamer is worth telling. He had brought some birds with him from Sydney, and took a friend with him from Dunedin to the Port on Thursday afternoon to give him one of the birds. Having done so, he walked up tho wharf with his

friend, not knowing that the steamer was so near starting. On hearing the whistle he ran down to the end of the wharf in time to see the steamer sheer off. He got into a waterman's boat but failed to catch her, and returned to Port blaming himself in no meaßured terms for having missed his passage. The Rev. Mr Waterhouse was well known as having been for many years in charge of the Wesleyan mission at Fiji, and Mr Waterhouse is his son. The Eev. Mr Richardson was president of the New Zealand "Wesleyan Conference, and the Rev. J. Armitage one of the secretaries of the Conference and editor of the ' Wesleyan.'