WRECK OF S.S. WAIRARAPA.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 38, 9 November 1894, Page 2

WRECK OF S.S. WAIRARAPA.

FURTHER DETAILS

AN EVIDENCE

Auckland, November 6

At the inquest the following evidence was given by Mr Johnson, third officer : “The Wairarapa left Sydney on Wednesday, 24th alt, bound for Auckland. We had, I should say, about 140 or 150 passengers, and 63 of the crew. INTO THE FOCI. On Saturday evening last we ran into foggy weather. It cleared off sufficiently on the morning of the 28th to allow us to pick up the Three Kings, continuing clear until we were abreast of Cape Maria Van Diemen. Then the weather came down thick again. The last land we saw, and the only land after this was Spirit Bay, to the west of the North Cape. The weather continued thick all the day, and all my watch on deck that night. . The captain was on the bridge all the time. This was Sundav, the 28th. THE WRECK. I was relieved at midnight by the second officer, and was standing on the lower decks when the ship went ashore. Orders were at once given by the captain to clear away the boats. It was a ve*y dark, thick, foggy night. Wc could not see the ship’s length ahead. We did all we could to get the boats out. We carried six boats and four life-rafts, but owing to the shifc heeling over so much it was utterly impossible to launch the starboard boats. STRUGGLE TO LAUNCH THE BOATS. Two port life-boats were smashed as soon as they were launched, owing to the awful inwash of the sea right on to our deck.

My boat, which was the starboard after life-boat, was full of passengers, and the two of the crew who were in charge being unable to launch her, I as the only thing to do, cut away the falls, and made all the people lie down in the bottom of the boat.

The first sea, as I anticipated, washed her on top of the engine-room sky-light, and the next carried her right over the wreck.

The boat was stove in, the bottom being knocked out of her, but we managed to keep her alloat till the fourth officer’s boat picked us up.

I do not know how the other boat got away, hut I know that only two of our boats got away, the other one being the one known as the mail boat, which is the one told off to save the mails in case of accident. This is the one that came to the relief of my boat, and when she came alongside we were just sinking.

I transferred all my people to her except two of the crew, two of the passengers and myself. We stayed in our boat until we found it impossible to keep her off T the shore in her sinking condition, seas washing completely over the top of her. We then all got into the fourth officer’s boat. There were finally about 12 in my parly, as when the boat struck on the engine-room skylight some of the men jumped over from her and others fell out.

' After we shifted to the other boat, we kept to seaward of the wreck all night, keeping our boat’s head towards the sea.

The boat being overcrowded, we were in fear that she would be swamped. We could not see what was occurring on the beach, as it was such dirty weather. At daylight we pulled round the coast to try and find a place to land, but owing to the heavy sea that was running at the time, it was impossible to beach the boat anywhere, so we had to pull right round the coast till wo came to Whaugapoua Bay, where we beached the boat, and immediately set off across the island to bring assistance for the wreck. We were helped by a young man named Edlington, and went across to Maori Bay. The Maoris at once placed themselves and their boots at our disposal, and we pulled round to the scene of the wreck. Here we found a considerable number of survivors on the face of the ledge at the bottom of the cliff, close beside the wreck. We reached the wreck at 2.30 p.m. or thereabouts on Monday. We had a great deal of difficulty in getting the survivors off, owing to the sea that was running. When we were at the wreck on that day there were a lot of corpses floating around with life-belts on ; but of course we could do nothing for the dead ; we had to save the living. Next morning the Maoris succeeded in getting off the remaining 10 survivors.

STARTLING EVIDENCE. The Coronet’ asked witness: Was there any difference of opinion be-, tween the officers as to the steamer’s position on Sunday night ? Johnson replied : I don’t want to answer that question. Being pressed, he said : I myself did not feel easy about the ship’s position, on account of the thick foggy weather, and I did not turn in or go below after my watch on deck. The Coroner : Do you know if any of the officers spoke to the captain about altering the ship’s course or reducing the speed of the vessel ? Witness : I do not wish to answer, if it can be helped, till after the nautical enquiry. Being pressed, witness said, “ Yes,” in reply to the question. The Coroner: Who spoke, and what did he say ? Witness : If I must answer, I spoke to the captain. Sergeant Gamble : What did you say ? Witness: I asked him to slow the ship down. He told me the ship was all right, and going on her usual course.

What time before the ship struck was it you asked him to slow down ? Witness ; About an hour.

Sergeant Gamble : About what speed was the vessel going at the time yon asked the captain to slow down? Witness ; About 12 or 18 knots, her usual speed. Did he give any reason for travelling at that speed on such a night ? He said he had perfect confidence in his course.

The Coronor : Was it his endeavor to get in before any other ghip that made him keep up that speed ? Was it racing ? No, it was not racing, or any rivalry. There were no fog signals used, nor was the vessel slowed down. All the life-saving apparatus was in proper order.