WILTSHIRE WRECK.

Grey River Argus, 8 June 1922, Page 3

WILTSHIRE WRECK.

iOW LINE WAS SECURED SEAMEN KEHOE’S BRAVERY. WRECKAGE WASHED ASHORE. AUCKLAND, Juno 6. The WiltshireS crew generally csiressed the opinion that the man who craved the •< loments and risked his life o secure the line drifted from the ship Reserved the Victoria Cross. They ivero firmly convinced that Seaman J Kehoe, of the Katoa, alone mado possible their relief. In sayin g this they were not unmindful of the great work of the party from the Philomel, the settlers on the island, and •hose on board the tug Te Awhina and the steamer Katoa. The crew of the wrecked steamer had attempted to get lines ashore repeatedly by floating- them on timber. The Katoa’s shore party, seeing these of-I forts, climbed down 100 feet of an almost sheer drop of the face of the cliff, ■ and scrambled out to reach the lines ’ where heavy seas were breaking with ; a thunderous roar. The Katoa’s men had already been: up all night in heavy weather, with ' little breakfast, and were very fati-! gued. They had managed to get a line. All were nearly overwhelmed by each wave, as they lay flat on the rock, dinging with lingers and toes. At last a line floated near, but was caught in the rocks. Seamen Kehoe plunged into the surf, secured it, and ; got back to the rocks, narrowly escaping being hurled to death on them by immense seas. The life-line was carried up the cliff of a precarious position, and a heavier j line was then drawn up. Residents ■ had arrived from all over the. island,when alarmed by telephone, to help as they were directed. The rope was tied to a ponutukawa tree on the cliff, and by great pains an endless pully was Over ninety mail bags from the Wiltshire have been recovered by the postal officials, ami will bo shipped to Auckland. The following are the names of the Wiltshire’s officers: — Master, B. G. Haywood.. Chief OfUc-or, W. G. Goddard. Second ofiicor. IL Harris. Third ofliccr, J. IL Musgrove. First wireless operator. D. D. Brodie. Second wireless operator, W. Furneaux. Third wireless operator, T. J. Mutter. F.lectricinn, W. Turner. Surgeon, W. C. McCullogh Carpenter. E. St epto. Boa'swain, IL Tate. ijv-.rfoi-.pnit -rs, 11. G. G.iggS C. WnxMcDvnnld find R. Ricliaruson. ..Chief engineer, G. Little; second engineer, D. Gri.luim; third engineer, J. W. Grant; fourth engineer. S. Trollope; fifth engineer, N. Given; sixth engineer. A. C. Munro; seventh engineer, J. IVake eighth engineer, A. J. Lewis. First refrigerating engineer, B. Beckr s oo;-;d refricorating enginccor, C. Redbond. Engine-room staff— Donkeymen, A. Knelt and W. Champion: Storeman, W. J I naksrmn: greasers. A. Ashwell, W. Ashwell. S. Farr mid S. Addington; refrigerating greaser, T. Honeywell; firo,i Wl nt'ev. J. I. Elpl.ick, J- Ruddv. F. Farley J. Mutter. IV. J. Basset, 11. Mahoney, J. Birch, J. McCarthy, T. Coonev. H. G. Clark. T. Vesey, T. Henpv, G. Patrick, R.K Webb, S. Davies. A. Bjornstcdt, I’. Crocker, 11. Munn, J. .lent and J. Warne; trimmers, J. Dolehedv, T. Crany, J. Bowers, R. Gentry \V M.-Carthv, W. W: Iker, C. Ashwell, T. i ..... .1 w’ Smith, A. White, J. Kent, and W. Raffles. Caterer. T.. Euston. Providorc department; Chief steward, W. F. James. CARGO. Although it is known that the Wiltshire contained many thousands of pounds worth of cargo for Auckland, it is impossible to state at present just what this cargo comprised or the amount of loss involved. Many local i, „, r ters were interviewed on the question. but while some were able to give definite information the majority could only sav thev had received advice from their London agents that shipments would be made by the Wiltshire without any information as to what these sh.pments would bo. In practically every case the shipments were, covered by insurance, either with Lloyd’s or with Australian or New Zealand companies. John Burns and Co., will be (hoy.' whoso losses are heaviest *his birm having on board about fem 11 ousnnd pounds worth of general Don mong erv and two thousand pound; worth of corrugated iron. 'Messrs Bnseoe mid Co. also had on board a large quantitv of wire and structural stee The National Electric Company expected five thousand pounds worth of elec tri.-al machinery by the Wiltshire, in portion of a plant lor the Hikurangi Coal Company’s new mine Tlmre were twelve tons of steel giril-ri for Auskland Elect rie Power Board. Auckland's lomlinS warehousemer will also suffer considerably as a re suit of the wreck. Messrs ' ■ a,nt Ewan r<ceived forward advice fha fie ship was bringing two thoiisam pounds worth of crockery and Mauches ter goods. Several thousand ponmh worth of draperv and hardware .w , . pccted bv the Farmers” Union Trn<WlCompany. Messrs L. D. Nathan and Cc

iud Hancock and Co bad cargo on , board, Nathan's consignment, including about a thousand pounds worth of spir- j its and miscellaneous groceries, and Han j cock’s one thousand cashes of whisky It is understood that the tobacco on board the "Wiltshire for various ports was worth fifty thousand pounds. The inquiry into the cause of the | wreck will be hel dat Auckland as soon | as the necessary arrangements can be , made. Th-o composition of the Court , has not yet been decided. VALUABLES RECOVERED. I VESSEL RAIDED BY THIEVES. AUCKLAND, Juno 7. A party visited the wreck of the ' Wiltshire yesterday and recovered val- ’ liable coin and jewellery in cases stored in the strong-room situated on the bridge in the captain’s quarters, a por- | tion of the vessel that would probably ! disappear in the next stormy weather. They also recovered the ship’s cat, hungry but none the worse otherwise. The trip was made principally to re cover the effects of the ship’s officers land crew. Wh: t remained were transferred to the tug, but since Friday the 'officers’ quarters had been raided by thieves. Everything of value was stolen, including underwear, suits including dress clothes, and personal valuables. I The rooms occupied by the engineers 'were in the stern of the vessel, and iaro now submerged. They lost every-] thing beyond what they brought ashore when rescued. FIRMLY EMBEDDED. LOWER DECKS AWASH. AUCKLAND, Juno 7. The party that, visited the Wiltshire wreck yesterd: y found tin* forepart of ithe hull embedded firmly on the rocks, | canted to starboard, at an angle of i about 45 degrees. The remainder from 'the bridge aft sat upright. The ship iis broken backed. So far as could be seen, the forepart was intact above the water line, but us those of the holds, .which it was possible to examine, appear full of water there no no doubt I that the -\ essel is badly damaged bellow. "What could be seen of the after part lay at an angle of about 10 de- ; grees from lh<- forep* it, and the break 'at the bridge had been so complete it hat the v.hole after-strueture had been moved sideways by the sea, and projected about 20 feet beyond the rigid Iforepart. The whole of the stern part | of the vessel has sagged info deep wat- | er, leaving only a short midship section I above the surf.'ce. The force exerted by the subsidence wrenched the huge structure with its tier of decks, which j culminates in a navigation bridge away from the main deck. From the main ■ ; peak the whole tier of decks slope i 'towards the sen in a steep incline, tinI til the lower decks are awash. The in- ! cess-ant pounding rgainst the after-end has torn great holes in the steel plates, and so thoroughly undermined the structure that all decks are distorted. The state rooms and lounges are in confusion. The teak deckings of t'm nyomenadvs nr ■ burst ami contorted to such an (“.tent that it undul: tes in all directions. The party secured two of the shiji’s boats. MAILS RUINED. AUCKLAND, Juno 7. Of 460 bugs of mail on the Wiltshire, 96 have been recovered, mostly in a deplorable condition. The packed goods in the sealed containers are the only ones for which there is much hope. Many of the parcels had their labels washed off. NO SNAKE ABROAD! AUCKLAND, June 7. Any fears regarding the harmful nature of the snake supposed to have come from the Wiltshire are dispelled by the museum curator (Mr Cheeseman), who. on examination, identified it as a water or sea snake, belonging to the common tropical Polynesian species, “hydrus platurus.■’’ This snake, although found on the beach among the debris from the wreck, had obviously not come from the Wiltshire .as from its very nature, it could not live on shipboard .or dry land. Specimens of this species were occasionally discovered on the Now Zealand coast; he could remember about twenty such as this being found. The snake found at the Great Barrier is about 14 inches long. ALLEGED PILLAGERS ARRESTED. The customs officers engage! in col- ‘ leering the dutiable goods washed ashore, found the crows of two launches, said to be fishing boats, alongside the ' wreck at midnight. The men arc said ■ to have been in possession of certain - property that came out of the Wiß- ’ shire. As a result four men were ar- ! rested, and the launches were detained-