LOSS OF THE STEAMER WAIRARAPA. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8121, 5 November 1894, Page 3

LOSS OF THE STEAMER WAIRARAPA. By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. (PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Koceivcd November 11, ul, 10.45 a.m. Sydnky, Novcrnbor 8. In tho list of tho saved «ro 22 persons who did nob book by tho YVaminipi in tho ordinary way.

Mklbouknis, November 3. Booker was a woll-known dairy firmer, of Aylosford, Victoria. JIo hod recently roturnod from England, whoro ho had hoen arranging to supply butter to tho M»ncbe«ior markets, Ho wa» proceeditig to Now Zealand on tho satno business. Mr Whalloy leavea a wifo and family here.

Received November 3, at 1.25 p.m. Sydney, Novcinbor 3. Martin, a passongor niontioued m having transhipped from the Gorman Mail steamor, h Mrs Elizabeth Martin, whoso huwband ia an agont of iho Equitable Lifo Ineuranco Company. 110 h nupposod to bo eomowhoro in tho vicinity of Invorcargill. It i 9 boliovcd that ho is not aware hie wifo was on baird tho Wairarapa.

Received November 5, at C.35 a.m. Sydnky, No/ember 4. Br»y, drowned in tho Wairarupa dieaatcr, was a Sydney re«idont, and not tho eon of an Onehunga rottidont, who, it U understood, claimed tho body under the impression that it vtm h'm aon, who still recldoß in Sydney,

(«Y TJSI-KOJtAPIJ.) Wellington, November 3. Mrs Besant k-oturua »t Woodvillo on bohftlf of tho Wairurapa fund, Subscriptions are already coming in in Wellington for tho fund, Langloy, one of tho survivor*), who arrived by tho Mahinapua, w<»B intorviowed, bufc adds littlo to what hag already boon published, oxoept that ho fja/e ho Haw no children on dock after tho chip struck, and believes numbers of women and childron must havo boon drowned in their berths, as their cabins, which wero on tho port «ido, filled immediately tho vohsol neolod over. Tho Postmaster-General han arranged to pttßs freo by poot all lettora on busincßS of tho Wairarapa roliof fund eont to or from tho rnayorw of boroughs or other such public officers aa may bo decided upon to deal with tho matter.

November 4. Tho bollfl of tho city churchos wore muffled 10-dny, and nympathotic refoi loncts v/oro rnftde from tho pulpits respecting the aad shipping dmaater in tho north.

Auckland, Novomber 3. Tho Wairarapa'a mailn, including English correspondence, havo boou recovoiod. It ia now clear that fully 121 lives woro loafc — namely, 103 paesongera and 20 of the crew, in tho Wnir-mipa disaster. Tho postal authorities have recovored 83 bags of maila from tho Wairorapa, and hopo to got tho remaining 17 to»day. Tho lottors nro mostly deliverable, bub the nowspapora are mujh damaged. Mr Bias, Ohiof Postmaster, Auckland, wiroa that 40 additional bodies havo beon rocovered ; also two hampers of parcelo. Tho officials think if tho woather holds good that thorn may bo some salvage of passongors' luggago, olc. Tho following aro tho identified bodies found at tho Barriur: Ruberc Mageo (firomao)} passongora — Messrs Arthur Bray (Onehunga), Warry(Port Chalmers), tfpencer (Auckland), Mrs 0. Stewart (Dunedin), Misses Scoullar (2) and E. Burton (Dunedin). At the inquest hold on 31 bodies at Maori Bay, tho verdict •• Found drowned at tho wreck of tho Wairar^pa" was returned. Tho third oflicor (Ilorbert Johnston) was tho chief wiinees. In crosa-examination, he said that he did not fool oasy about the ship's position on account of tho thick foggy weather. Ho enoke to tho captain, arid asked him to Blow down. The captain said that tho ship was right-, going on her usual course. Thio Wflfl an hour beforo tho ship btruck. Tho captain was perfectly sober thon, and during the wholo voyago. After tho accident ho did all a captain and seaman could and should. During tho voyige the captain was constantly at his duty. Tho vessel was going about 12 or 13 knofcg— her usual speed, Sho travelled from Oapo Maria without either slowing down or usipg tho foghorns. Mr T» Henderson, tho Union Company's managor at Auckland, returned from the Great Barrier this morning, One of tho rnossagoa ho at oneo wired to headquarters is as follows; "Purser Fenwick states that there were 98 steerage passengers, including two whe booked onboard, and 88 saloon passongors, this number including infants and childron." Accepting tho abovo figmca as correct (and tho purser is tho man who is in tho beat position to givo them) wo luvo a total of 18(5 passengers when tho vessel Bailed, and adding 05 as tho crew tho total on board was 251. It has boon as~ oortained that 93 passengerr and and 45 of the crew (total 138) wero saved, and this shows that 113 lives wero lost. Mr Hondorson further telegraphed that 12 of tho bodies found had boon identified. They aro thoso of Mr Warry, of Port Chalmers ; Mr Bray ; Mr Whaloy, of England j Mr T. .Spencer, who camo out by tho Jlomo ; Mr J, 0. White, of Brisbano ; Mr T. Ityan, of Port Ohalmors ; Mrs Btowart, of Potcrham ; Miss Ncllio Scoular, of Dunedin ; Miss Fanny tScoular, of Dunedin ; Miss Barton ; Patrick Burko, soaman ; J. M'Geo, trimmer. Any of tho bodies rocovored can be romovpd if ftrrangemento aro made for placing them in ieadon eoflins. In accordance with arrangements mado by his friends, tho body of Mr Warry has beon brought to Auckland, and will bo forwarded to Dunedin by tho Manapouri, leaving on Tuesday noxt. Tho telegram adds : " "Recovered and buried thirty-two bodies, tho majority not Mr Henderson also wires to Mr Mills, managing director : Captain Worsp (representing the Underwriters' Association) and myself aro satisfied that it is useless to endeavor to attompt salvage. The vessel ia covorod at high wator, Tho hatches aro off, and the cabins gutted. She ia exposod to a northerly sea, and must break up with tho first gale. There is too much swell for divers to work. I recommend you to soil at onco. I havo hit an oflicor and a boat's crew to cooperate with the police in recovering and Interring further bodies. At tho inquest yesterday the verdict on tho bodies was the pereons were drowned by tho wreck ©£> the Wnirarapa, I do not think the can be if. any service, as the

present staff at tho wreck ia equal to all requirement*!, Tho mail forwardod by tho Wairarapa conHistod of 100 bags, and two parcel poot hampers. Of th",Bo 83 bags and tho two hampers havo been reoovered, and were brought up by tho Argylo this morning. Ib h expected that tho romuining 17 bags will bo recovered nl low tide. Tho letters wero soaked through with water. Tho English correspondence for northern ports is among tho mail matter. The polioo ore engaged in burying the bodies along the bonoh. Fifty more coflin*} or eholls woro sont by tho Nautilus to-night, and 100 winding sbeots imd carbolic acid. Mr Jaokson Palmpr telegraphed to tho Promier for pormission to chirtor a steamer to search for bodies, which was Rrnntod, and hlio left to-night. Mr Poi'in, of Wellington, left to identify his wife and child, drowned at the wroclc. At tho inquest on tho bodies at Chvat Barrier by Mr Palmer, aonr., coroner, an open verdict to tho effect that tho deceased persons had mot their death by being drowned in the wreck of tho steamer Wairarapa was returned. Tho porsonal property found on Mm < dead will bo retained by tho po'ice till idontih'ed. Lato this afternoon Mr Bray, of O»ehunga, recoived a oablogr.un from Sydney th«t his pnn Arthur Bruy is Rafo in Sydney, and was not a paafonger by tho Wairanpn. This h tho more ri'imrk'iblo, ao one of tho bodies found at Burior was identified no that if A>thur Bray, and wns taken to Biay'a rosidencp. Thoro has evidently boon a mistako in identification.

CmusTOHUKCH, Novombord. Ilia Excellenoy the Governor yoafcorcUy afternoon rocoivod tho following cablegram from tljoSecreUry of S'ato for tho Colonies : "Ddsiro to oxpress regret and sympathy at shipwreck of Wuiwapi and gri'ftb loss of lifo. — RiroN." Tho Ohristoburoh Firo Brigade will endeavor fco raiao LlOO towards tho Wairarapa reliof fund.