PILGRIM STEAMER SINKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19567, 21 February 1927, Page 11

PILGRIM STEAMER SINKS.

| LAKE COMO DISASTER. PANfC AMONG PASSENGERS. THREE DEAD AND MANY HURT. -By Telegraph—Press Association—Conyright. (Received Feb. 20, 1 6.12 p.m.)' A. and NX BEBNE. Feb. 19. 1 A steamer with 700 pilgrims aboard 1 sank while she was approaching a land- | ing stage on Lake Come-. | The majority of the pilgrims were ! saved, but many were injured, between | 20 and 50 seriously. j- The steamer had conveyed the famous [relic —the head of St. Alcysius? Many [ church,, civic dignitaries, and .members |of religious societies bearing banners, ! were on board. Huge crowds, including the entire strength of the local garrison, thronged the shore awaiting the arrival of the ! sacred relic. | The crowd ashore saw the stern of the j steamer awash and commenced to cry: | '''She is sinking." i The people aboard, however, were I chanting hymns and prayers, and did not | hear the warning until the vessel was j' close to the jetty. i Popes \rere cast ashore and the vessel: | was moored. A terrible scramble enj sued. I One woman was crushed by the mob | rushing the gangway and died from her I injuries. Many of the passengers leaped into the lake. Two were drowned and another is missing. The police express the opinion that the steamer was overloaded. The head of the party was Bishop Pacani, who was returning from a visit of homage to the headquarters of St. , Aioysius. Be did notable work in allaying the panic. .. The bishop made the pilgrims .crowd on to. the forecastle, thus averting an awful death roll- He remained guarding the relics cntil the Last. Men then swam | out and brought him and his treasures r ashore. f At present only one body has been I found. The engineer alleges that he told the captain ' the ship was making water' but the captain persisted in making, port.; The latter is to be arrested. TOUR OF DOMINIONS. O MP,. AMERY'S AMBITION. PROSPECT OF FULFILMENT. (Eeeeived Feb. 20, 3.5 p.m.) and N.Z. LONDON", Feb. 19. Plans are now being discussed with a view to enabling the Secretary of State for the Dominions, Mr. L. S. Amery. to fulfill his ambition of officially visiting Canada. New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This tour would occupy at least eight months and Mr. Amery's colleagues may deem it too long a period for him to be absent from the Dominions Office. In that case the Minister would visit j.lCew; Zealand and Australia in one year j and the other Dominions in rotation. Git | should prove possible for him to do the grand tour at one bite/ 4 Mr. Amery would leave London in July and be in Australia at the end of the year.