TARARUA WRECK

Evening Star, Issue 22325, 29 April 1936, Page 2

TARARUA WRECK

FIFTY-FIVE YEARS AGO TO-DAY AN A.B.'S RECOLLECTIONS [Written by T. P. Blue, for tlie ‘ Evening Star.’] I remember seeing tlio ill-fated steamer on the reef near Waipapa Point, about 20 miles from Bluff, the following morning, when she went to pieces about 2 a.in., which would be about high water. No doubt, at the turn of the tide she must have been straining herself on the rocks when the sea got rough with the tide going out. I was an A.B. on the Kakanui at the time. We left Juvercargill somewhere about midday, hound for Waikawa, to load timber for Dunedin, and as we were passing the Bluff we were signalled to come iu, and were told that the Tararua was ashore on the Otarau Beef. Just as we wore about to leave Bluff word came from Port Chalmers to say that the Hawea was leaving that port and would reach the wreck early in the morning—which she did, but too late.

We left Bluff in the afternoon, and it was dark before we reached Waipapa Point, and anchored in what is called the boat harbour. We could see the lights on the Tararua right up to about 2 o’clock in the morning, when the lights all seemed to disappear, Deck hands on the Kakanui got orders from our captain (Sundstrum) to keep on watch for two hours at a time, and I had been on watch from It) to 12, when 1 was relieved, and instructions given to my mate that should the lights move or shift Captain Sundstrum was to be called. When no lights were to be seen about 2 a.m. our captain ordered up steam and hove up anchor and cruised about until it got a bit clear. We got near the reef, and saw no signs of the Tararua, but plenty of wreckage everywhere—cargo, luggage, mail bags, and all kinds of wreckage and liftings. We came across a dead body fully clothed, and we hauled it on board.

The morning was now clear, and wc noticed a steamer well out to sea and made towards it. It turned out to be the Hawea, and while we wore mating for the Hawea one of the Tararua life boats came alongside, with the second officer in charge and several members of her crew. 1 had only been in New Zealand live months, and looking over the side 1 noticed one of the crew of the boat who had come out with me from the Old Country in the Dunedin. Captain A. Cameron, the superintendent of the Union Company, came off the Hawea and came on board the Knkanui and had a talk with Captain Sundstrum, and decided to take the body on the Hawea. Before they lifted the body Captain Cameron and Captain Sundstrum decided to search it, and as none of the others on board would take on the job Captain Sundstrum got me to do so. I found a pocket book in the coat pocket with a ticket showing that this passenger was to travel from Melbourne to London as soon as the Tararua would arrive in Melbourne. The name of the passenger was Martin, and he came from T'imaru, and had been a farmer in Canterbury. There were, besides the ticket, about £2O in sovereigns, two £1 notes, some loose silver, a gold albert and gold watch, and several other papers. Everything was handed over to Captain Cameron. I noticed that the watch had stopped about 2.30, and the Tararua went to pieces somewhere about 2 a.ra. The passenger must have been on some of the wreckage for a time. We made for Waikawa, and, going close to the reef where the Tararua had broken up, L saw a sight 1 shall never forget. The sea was very calm, and all wo could see was sharks’ fins, i did not remain on the Kakanui many weeks after, but gave tho sea best, but did make a trip in 222 Dredge to Melbourne in JBB9, and afterwards took to gold dredging forth e second time. One wonders how the Tararua got so close in. Her captain certainly altered his course too soon, and had he kept on tho W.S. westerly course and picked up Dog island light this accident would never have happened. Captain Garrard was a. young man. His body and many others were never found. Many bodies were washed up on tho beach, and were buried in a plot of ground now called Tararua Cemetery, near where a small dredge is now working and getting gold. We got in to Waikawa and loaded up with timber for Dunedin, and a body was placed on board to be taken to Dunedin. The coffin was just some of the fittings off the wreckage of the Tararua—panels, etc. This passenger also came from Canterbury. As soon as we arrived and discharged our timber at Dunedin wo loaded up dozens of coffins at Port Chalmers and left for Waikawa, but very many of tbc roughly-made coffins were never wanted.

The loss of life was over 130, and half the bodies were never recovered. I enclose the names of the officers and the few of the crew and passengers that were saved—in all about 20.

A curious fact about the wrecka#* that was floating about was that nearly all the luggage—mostly wooden boxes and chests—was either open or broken, and many of the chests had nothing in them, yet as far as one could see none of the cases and barrels of the cargo were knocked about.

My old friend, Captain Sundstruin, is now no more. He used to tell me that had wc gone earlier to the wreck we could have saved the whole company, as there was no great sea running when we got into the boat harbour and anchored for the night. Had it been daylight 1 am sure we should have gone pretty close to the steamer. J do not think there arc many alive who wore at or saw the wreck.

The following persons were saved :—■ Crew.—Robert Lindsay, chief officer; Peter Maloney, second officer; James Burnett, A. 8.; Edward Johnston, A. 8.; Charles Stewart, A. 8.; Torque! Nicholson, A. 8.; Franz Danz, A. 8.; John Weston, A. 8.; Thomas Dixon, A. 8.; Franz Rahel, fireman; John Maher, fireman; Antonio Miscalef, chief cook.

Passengers.—William Hill, steerage; John Chatterton, steerage; George Lawrence, steerage; Henry Dceiy, steerage; George Robins, steerage; Thomas Davis, steerage; John AVilliams, .steerage; Gustave Tellien, steerage.

The following were the officers of tho Tnrarua :—Captain, F. Garrard; chief officer, Mr Robert Lindsay; second officer, Mr Peter Maloney; carpenter, Mr J. Morrison; purser, Mr W. B. Jones; chief steward, Mr Charles Ellen; stewardess, Miss Aitkcn; second steward, ?di James Warren; first pantryman, William Smith ; chief cook, Antonio Miscalef; fore-cabin steward, William Collins; second-cabin .steward, Davidson.