WIMMERA DISASTER.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 6080, 29 June 1918, Page 5

WIMMERA DISASTER.

- TWENTY-SEVEN STILL MISSING. ; INSTANCES OF COURAGE. t | RELIEF FUND OPENED. i Electric Telegraph—Press Association. * I • Auckland, Last Night. ; The “Star’s’’ Paeranga correspondent writes: The s passengers and ! crew relate many splendid instances 1 of courage. ■j Mrs Robertson, a stewardess, cheerfully helped the women and children to dress with the scanty clothi ing available, and in putting on lifebelts. Then she walked to the upper deck and stood by, doing what she could till the steamer took the final plunge. Mrs Gould, aged 90, wished to | stay on board to make room for some younger woman, saying she “had liv- | ed her life,” and that the younger I women were of more use. Later on, j she was taken off, and throughout j the hours on the water, and the try- ! ing tramp over the hills to Waihuej hue, with little clothing on, and with- ' out boots, she and Mrs Croft, the ' wife of Captain Croft of the Huddart ! Parker Company, did much to keep ] up the spirits of the party. Colonel Graham and Captain Kells j refused to embark in the boats, and j went down with the ship. The chief engineer walked off the i Wimmera as she sank, and was rescued by an alreadv loaded boat. | One lady, whose name is unknown, worked at the oars in the pull to I shore, and her hands were badly blis- | tered. j The assistant purser had a trying | time on the journey to Te Hapua I over the rough country on horseback. | with a Maori guide, to let us know of I the disaster. | The steamer Clansman has left ! Mongonui for Auckland direct with ' 125 survivors. Tt is due here at nine , to-morrow. , j The steamer Waiotahi left Mong*,- | nui for Opua to coal, and will make ! a further search.

The Wimmera carried over 30 bags of mail for Australia, India, China, and South Africa. The mail included bags from centres outside of Auckland.

A meeting of citizens was held tonight to arrange for tile reception of the survivors, and a relief fund has been opened.

Tt is believed that five of those whose names were published as passengers were not on the boat. So far as is ascertainable. 29 are still missing.

The Wimmera survivors landed at Mongonui are: T. W. Mole. Charles Hudder, T. G. Graham. P. Elliott. A 1 ice Dunn, Ada Sazegh. L. Hennonsen, J. Blockboro. W. .T. Giblin and wife an dtwo children, .T. Forsyth, Mr and Miss Browning. T. Grimsliaw, Miss Street. -T. McCarthy. F. C. Bond.. Mr and Mrs Sydney .Tones, E. Gamhle. W. Brewis. R. Murdoch. R. Saville, IT. Kennedy. .T. Donaghy. P. M. Crew. W. Roper. S. Yates, and one member of the crew whose name has not been ascertained. EIGHT PERSONS NOT KNOWN. Auckland. Last Night. Ihe following are additional names o those saved: Hawkswood, assistant purser, and Miss J. Kenman. The name of the seaman included in today’s messuage is S. Hawes. Imiud*“d in the 125 on tile Clansman are eight persons whose names are not known. The latest information is that 27 "ro still missing.