THE TASMANIA DISASTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10515, 7 August 1897, Page 5

THE TASMANIA DISASTER.

The inquiry into the lon of the steamer Tasmania opens on Monday next at the Magistrate's Court, High-street, before Mr. H. W. Brabant, S.M., Captain A. Duder (harbourmaster), and Captain John L. Clarke, are the Nautical Assessors. Our Wellington correspondent telegraphs:—The Government have decided to send a first-clans surveyor from the Survey Department to locate accurately the position of tho wreck. The knowledge of the position of the supposed submerged rock and of the vessel for the information of mariners is a matter of the highest import ance. Instructions, I understand, have been given by the Marine and Lands Departments. The forecabin steward of the Tasmania, Mr. Croine, who is staying at the Sailors' Home, had a chat yesterday with a Herald reporter. He was wrecked in the steamer William Denny, Captain Meiller, at the North Cape, early in the fifties. On that occasion the Denny, in a fog, touched the sand ab Parengarenga, gob off, and then the captain thinking he had hauled out sufficiently to round the Worth Cape, ran ashore again at the neok of land, Mr, Cronw states _ that _he has been wrecked four or five times since then, and never saw such good order and excellent discipline as «t the wreck of the Tasmania. Every man knew his station, and went) to his duty. He states that a meed of praise is due to Mrs. Mcßride, the forecabin stiwardes?, who, after she had eot the ladies in her care supplied with life-belts and placed them on.settoin the perilous surroundings and provided them with tea. In fact the coolness and courage shown by Captain McGee seemed to be imparted to all around him. IWellwgtos, Friday. The body washed ashore at Mahanga has been identified as that of W. Dimock, who was one of the occupants of the chief stewards dingy. He was iculleryman on the Tasmania, and was 34 years of age and a Londoner by birth. There erenow only three persons unaccounted for, vi*,, Henderson (chief steward), and the men Bidmead (butcher) and Loghan. (