WRECK OF THE STEAMER KIA ORA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 15 June 1907, Page 2

WRECK OF THE STEAMER KIA ORA.

SUFFERINGS OF THE SHIPWRECKED. EIGHT DEATHS. THE RESCUE. [United Peess Association,] The s.s. Rarawa arrived here thi§ morning and left immediately „ior tflg scene of the wreck of tlie. Kla pra. She arrived off Turua Point. ,aftey five hours' sail, but only .a small piece of wreckage was sighted. ... Further particulars of the disaster show that the Kia Ora ran on a reef about one mile off the shore, and sank in 20 minutes. The second mate was in watch at the time of the mishap. The women and children got safely off in the first lifeboat, but the port boat was smashed to atoms when launched. Thi c.ew and male passengers took rcfuiri - ; wherever, possible, for the steamer commenced gradually to slip back off the reef on to which she had sailed. Suddenly she parted amidships, and nearly everyone was thrown or washed overboard. A raft released itself and on this 11 crowded. Six made for the boat. The captain was,standing by the funnel with a fireman and seaman before the final break-up. He accepted a life-bblfc from Fireman Symes and said good-bye. He was not seen again. The boat and raft jointly effected a landing five miles south of the wreck. Matches and tabloid food were found intact in sealed packages on the boat and raft, and food from the Marakopo settlers reached the survivors at 3 o'clock this morning, and at daylight all made their way along the coast through heavy scrub to a Maori settlement, where the majority a-rrived just as the Rarawa anchored. A boat from her, with a doctor aboard, effected a landing through the surf under great difficulty. He found that one of the passengers had a leg broken —this passenger was picked up by the raft, and caiTi'ed with great .difficulty. Several had sustained minor difficul- , ties, but all were attended to by Df Wylie. Extreme difficulty was experienced in re-launching the life-boat. Nine of the strongest of the crew were brought aboard the Rarawa and brought to New Plymouth, which was reached at 9 o'clock. The survivors on shece are being kindly attended to by the settlers, and ire in no immediate danger. A heavy swell coming up prevented further attempts to land baing made. All tho crow except the captain are safe, but no authentic news could be got regardin the names of the passengers. The second steward says there were 35 aboard, and only 27 are accounted fcv. Iu that case eight are missing, but there is a possibility that some of these may have made the shore at other points.