WAIKARE WRECKED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7018, 5 January 1910, Page 5

WAIKARE WRECKED

SINKS IN TEN MUTES.

TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EXCURSIONISTS. ALL SAFELY LANDED. WARSHIP & STEAMERS DESPATCHES TO THE SCENE.

SPECIAL TO THE " TIMES.’* BLUFF, January 6, 0.45 a.m. Sir Joseph Ward received word at Bluff at 10.5 o’clock last night from Mr Holdsworth, general manager of the Union Steamship Company, who had been in communication with Puysegur Point, that the Union' Company’s well-known steamship Waikare was a total wreck at Dusky Sound. Word had apparently been received in consequence of a boat from the Waikare landing near tho Point. The message added that two hundred and seventy xiersons were on the shore at the Sdund. The exact spot of the wreck is between Indian Island and Passage Isle. The vessel is reported to have sunk within ten minutes. Commander Blunt, of H.M.S. Pioneer, which was lying up at the Bluff wharf, was informed of tho urgency of the case, and was requested by the Prime Minister to proceed to Dusky Sound, a request with which he at once complied. Tho cruiser was waiting for the collier Rosamond from Westport, with supplies, and had not sufficient to proceed on the instant. By 10.30 coaling operations and provisioning was in full swing. Everything was carried out with the utmost expedition. The crow of tho war vessel (nearly all New Zealanders) worked like Trojans, and within two hours sufficient steam pressure was registered. Coal and provisions kept coming on board, and before daybreak the Pioneer would leave for Dusky Sound. Every credit is due to Commander Blunt and the officers and crew of the war vessel for the expedition with which they met the emergency. Sir Joseph Ward accompanied the Pioneer, which is expected to make twenty knots all the way. Arrangements have been made by the Union Company for the Moura to leave Dunedin at daylight for the scene, the vessel to call at the Bluff en route. / The steamer Rosamond, from Westport, will be signalled at Puysegur Point, and will turn back to Dusky Sound if necessary. The Pioneer expects to return to-night with the passengers. EARLIER ADVICES CONCERNING THE DISASTER

TUG TERAWHITI SENT FOR PRESS ASSOCIATION.

DUNEDIN, January 4. ), The Union Company received word i this evening that the Waikare struck a rook in Dusky Sound at neon. Tho vessel was reported to be badly damaged. , Th© engine room and stokehole wore .-full to tho water’s level, and the vessel was beached on Stop Island, the passengers and crew being safely landed on the beach of the mainland. Arrangements are being made to dispatch the Moura as early as possible to- 1 morrow morning for the scene. ’ The Union Company lost no time in •communicating with the Prim© Minister, now in Invercargill, and as a result 1 H.M.S. Pioneer is to get away to the scene by daylight. Commander Bhmt 1 hopes to reach Dusky Sound at noon, <

and be back again at Bluff with the passengers by 7 p.m. The lighthousekeeper at Puysegur Point has been signalled that tho Rosamond, due at Bluff to-morrow morning, is to proceed to Dusky Sound. Ample stocks of supplies will be put on board the Moura. * Mr Mclntyre, works manager, will be a passenger by the Moura to inspect and (consider what is to be done by way of salvage. Wellington has been telegraphed to get the tug Terawhiti and salvage gear ready for to-morrow morning. It is hoped that the Moura will be ready to proceed to Dusky Sound by 8 o’clock to-morrow morning.

THE WAIKARE FAVOURITE EXCURSION STEAMER. The Waikaro was one of the bestknown of the Union Company's steamers, and had for several years made the annual excursion to the West Coast Sounds. She was a steel screw steamer of 3071 tons, built by \V, Denny Bros, at Dumbarton in 1897. Her principal dimensions were Length, 310.1 ft; breadth, 41.1 ft; depth, 21,9 ft. This summer an innovation was introduced by the Union Company, and instead of making one trip from Dunedin to the West Coast Sounds two excursions were arranged. The Waikare was dispatched from Dunedin on her first trip on December 23rd, and she returned six days later. On Thursday last the vessel sailed on her second cruise, and was to have arrived back at Dunedin to-day. Captain Coll McDonald took with him the 'following officers: —Chief, Mr J. G. S. Doorly; second, Mr E. J. M. Appleyard; third, Mr D. MacKenzio; extra, Mr E. T. Crowe; surgeon. Dr P. D. Cameron; chief engineer, Mr P. J. Hickey; second, Mr J. MacArthur; third, Mr C. F. West; fourth, Mr A. L. Inverarity; fifth, Mr T. 5. Rutter; purser, Mr G. H. Dodd; chief steward, Mr P. B. Carmichael; stewardess. Miss P. Gash; musical director, Mr G. Death. THE PASSENGERS The following passengers booked for tho last cruise of the Waikare: —Misses Longridge (Wellington), Butts (Wellington), Bryce (2) (Wellington), MiodJeton (Timaru), Gow (Dunedin), Bremner (Dunedin), Sinclair (Dunedin), Nash (Wellington), Martin (Wellington), Hill (Melbourne). Young (Melbourne), Duntbrell (Sydney), Halley (Wellington), Stone (Wellington). Dempsey (Wellington), Thomas (Melbourne), Burke (Melbourne). Caygill (3) (Christchurch), Duckworth (Auckland), Mellie (Auckland), Knight,

(2) (Sydney), Clark (2) (Napier), Twigg and Austin (Napier), Harding (2) (Napier), Morrow (Christchurch), Addanell (Christchurch), Riddell (Dunedin), Spiers (Dunedin), McLennan party (six ladies) (Melbourne), Messrs Bowie (Napier), Moody (2) (Dunedin), Walker (Sydney), Beokingsale (Melbourne), Moore (Invercargill), Moore, jun. (Invercargill), Meßain ' (Invercargill), Sinclair (Dunedin), Miller (Dunedin), Holcombe (Sydney), Garratt (Sydney), McCowen (Auckland). ■ Downes (Auckland), Hargreaves (Auckland), Pirn (Auckland), Eiddey (Auckland), Smith (Auckland), Teese (Sydney), Knight (Sydney), Frind (Auckland), Middleton (Timaru), Gilchrist (Timaru), Edlhaid (Dunedin), MesWhite (ATickland), Hargreaves and daughter (Melbourne), Ayens (Melbourne), Sir and Mrs Straughton and Miss Straugliton (Melbourne), Mr and Mrs McConnell (Sydney), Mr and Mrs Robertson (Auckland), Mr and Mrs Watts (Auckland), Mr and Mrs Thornber (Melbourne), Mr and Mrs Brown (Sydney), Mr and Mrs Corbett (Timaru), Mr and Mrs G. Todd (Dunedin), Mr and Mrs A. Todd (Dunedin), Mr and Mrs Feck and Miss Peck (Melbourne). DUSKY SOUND Dusky Sound, or Bay. as it was named by Cook, when he first discovered the opening, lies between Five Fingers Point and South Point, the width being four miles. Approaching from southward, Chalky Island is a good guide to the entrance, as is West Cape, which appears as a well-defined projectmg point of moderate height, dropping a short distance within its extreme, and then rising again with a gradual slope towards the high land. From northward Five Fingers Point cannot fail to bo recognised. It is the south-west .extreme of Resolution Island which separates Dusky from Breafcsca Sound. Several high-pointed rocks stand oil its extreme. These, when viewed from certain situations, give it the ap? pearanco of the fingers of a man’s hand, from which circumstance it received the

name from Cook. As that navigator also observes:—'‘The land about the •point is still more remarkable by the little similarity it bears to that adjacent to it, being the extreme of a narrow peninsula, lying north-north-east and •south-south-west for eight miles, of a moderate and equal height, and covered with wood.” Dusky Sound runs in an> east-north-east direction twenty-two miles, and is studded with numerous islands and rocks, hut has few dangers that are not visible. South-westerly winds roll a heavy sea into the entrance of Dusky Sound, but it is broken by the numerous islands. Smooth water is found a short distance within. The principal anchorages in Dusky Sound are, Pickcrsgill, Harbour and Cascade Gove on the Sound side, and Facile Harbour and Duck Cove on the north. Temporary anchorages may also bo found in other parts, but the depth of water in general is very great, and they cannot be recommended unless in case of necessity. Indiun Island, on© and a half miles long, lies in tho south-west portion of the sound, half a inile from tho south shore.