LOSS OF THE STEAMER WAIRARAPA.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8123, 7 November 1894, Page 3

LOSS OF THE STEAMER WAIRARAPA.

Rccoivcd NWombcr 0, at 2.55 p.m. Sydney, No/embor 6. Tn tho Hearoh for tho Wuim'apa tho Waihora otiquired at Oapo Maria Van Dioumu lighthouso, and p ckod up Iho WiiUatipu, who ivlso softvchod for the missing vessel. The MnnHpout'l dinpluyod tho olootrio lipjlifc, sent up rookota and zk'Z>i£»god aorosa to Sydney, mooting tho Wakattpu ab intovv-ils. Sho also spoko eovoral sailing vessels.

(«Y TKLKCIIt/U j n.) Fiuldino, November 0. Tho Mayor haa convened a mooting to mho funds for tlw roliof of (ho WaiivuMpa suflorors.

WKiATNcrroN, November (5. Tho amount in hand or promised f ir tho W'lirarapi fund is now about L3OO. Tho open-air oorxnrt is to bo hold on tho wharf to-morrow night- and a number of other performances will bo gob up by various bodks. Mr Mills hie tologmphod to tho Premier : " I und< rsUnd bhab rt'prosontiltotis have boon made to you that mops wore not taken b> recover bodies from tho uufoiluii'itu wrcokoftho Wairaiapa. Ihopo you will s itisfy yourself ab nit this <»h far as to understand tint, everything wns dono that could bo done. Tho third i officer was loft with six boats and orowa from tho islind to aoireh for bodies, and we bolievo ho did lii-j work thoroughly, A. Htoamer could not huvo reached any' oarlier than P'riduy morning. In any c<t«o this work could bo much bettor dono bv boats."

Auckland, November 0. Tho first mato, continuing, said thtfc ho had not heard of fcho oiptmn being fmmd f iult rtilh for nob arriving in port up to time Tho Company wanted I horn to exeroiso every o u*o and not to race, Thoi o was about 10 tens of iron in bho forohold, about 20 foot from tho standard comp»ss, which waa nugootioally correct. When sho Btruok no ono could havo stood on tho forec»Htlo for a moment owing to a heavy Hca. That o voning tho oipUin told him they woul 1 alow down oil iho lien and Chickens. Witness considered that it w<»s tima to slow down, but ho did not go to tho oapttin because ho had every confidence in his judgment. Tho chief tra'o, roplying to question^ said that it is possible Homo passengers may nob havo got out of thoir cabins and may bo still there. Ho never hoaid of tho captain taking opium or other sedatives. Ono splendid display of heroism has just come to light. Miss Macquiid, ono of tho stewardesses, had served out all tho lifebelts, Sho had rcHOtvedouo for j horielf. As sho titood sto»dying herself by clinging to a raft, a little child in its nightdross made its way to her, In its terror tho littlo thing hid her head in Miss Macqiuid's dress. Stooping down as well as aho could this dovotod young woman tried to soothe the woo one, and then taking off htr own lifebelt sho clasped it around tho child. Tho next heavy wavo washed both away. Both woro drowned, tho littlo ono not being ablo to take advantage- of that whioh h.id bjon given with such magnilioont forgetful noso of solf. At the sale of tho salvage of tho Wairarapi to-dny tho hull oomploto was sold for L7O to 10. Ford, and tho oargo for LIGO to Captain 11, F. Anderson. At tho enquiry to-day tho third oflicer (W. Johnston) stated that botwoon 9 and 10 o'clock ho askod tho captain if ho did not think they woro a long way outside tho Poor Knights. Ho said thoy woro quite close enough to them, and might oeo them any mlnuto on starboard. At 11.11 ho asked tho captain when ho was going to slow down. 110 said tho ship was all right, and to koop a sharp lookout for Mokohinau light nn the port sido, seaward. lie said ho had perfect confidence in his course. Witness a^kod permission to blow tho foghorn, but tho captain said ib would only frighten tho passengers. Several more witnesses wero mibpooned. Tho crow will probably bo detained hero till tho enquiry closes. Me Seoul it (of Dunedin) and Mr Sullivan (of Napier) leave for tho Barrier to*monow to soaich for thoir relatives, tho former for his father, mothor, and bisters, and tho litter for his niece. Mr Whalloy v/m buried to-day at Patowa, Mr Chamberlain, a survivor, was the ohiof mournor. All who havo visited tho wiock aro loud iv thoir praises of tho third ollkot 1 of tho Wuirarap*, 11, Johnston, whoso pluck and porsevorimco woro invaluable at tho timo of the wreck, and in tho recovery of bodies. Many moro lives would probably have been lost but for this young oflicer's prosenco of mind and courage.

Dunbdin, November 0. In view of tho rumora ooncirning tho Into Captain M'Tntoah, Dr Coughtrey, with tho consent of the captain's rolativos, thinks it only fair that it should be known that boforo starting on tho list voyjgo to Sydney Ciptain M'lntosh had only vccovorod from threo attacks of influenza, which had dia-iblod him from duty for a month. On tho 28th Soptoinber ho conBultod Dr Ooughtrey, complaining chiefly of great nervous prostration, an t that ho folt unnorvod. lie was ordorodtorest from duty, and if not bolter when thoWairarapa resumed running to obtain further leave. Tho doctor did nob coo him again, but understood that though improvod ho had not quite recovered, and tho Doctor suspects that Captain M'lnfcosh hud a return of tho wave of nervous prostration, which may havo offooted his judgment-, and possibly lo tho true explanation of tho accident. Captain M'lntosh went to Queenstown while tho sto^mor waa boing overhauled. 110 did not apply for leave, At tho moetlng convened by tho Mayor, which was well attendod, resolutions wero passed expressing profound soirow at tho Wairaiapa shipwreok, and deep sympathy with tho relativca and frienda of those who had lost thoir lives, and appreciation of tho bravery of many of the survivors. A committoo was appointed to take atepa to raiso funds, and a deputation was appointed with a view of getting LlOOO of tho surplus from tho Olutha floods relief fund diverted. Tho l.»Bt calculation of tho Auckland manager of tho Union Steamship Company put tho numbor of passengers on tho Wairarapft at 17^> of whom 93 wore saved, leaving 8G drowned. Twenty of the crow wore also drowned, showing tho total loss of lifo to bo 100.