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THE EVIDENCE OF SURVIVORS.

Blenheim, last night. A preliminary enquiry into the cause of the Taiaroa disaster was held laat evening before Mr Paisley, Collector of Customs, and Captain Lambert, Nautical Assessor. Captain Thomson stated that the ship left Wellington at 11.30 a.m. on Sunday, the llth inst. A strong N. W. breeze was blowing. He steered S. by W. ; the usual courso is S. f W., but on account of the strong N. W. breeze he kept a quarter point more than usual till 3.30 p.m. when they were abreast of Cape Campbell and the course was altered. The wind then fell light, and came down from the S.E. suddenly. Thoy kept to S. fW. Ifc was raining heavily and blowing hard, and fche sea came up very suddenly. He was on deck till 6.30, and sho then as far as he could see seemed to be a good distance off the land. The mate was on watch on the bridge. Before going btdow at 6.30 o'clock he (the captain) told the mate that if he thought the vessel was getting closer in or the weather came on thick so as to lose sight of the land to let him know. About 7 o'clock the mate came and told hira (the captain) that he could Bee '.land on the port bow. Witness ran up immediately on to the bridge. Then were then putting the helm hard to starboard. When he got there he stopped her and went full speed astern. She took the ground. At the same time the chief engineer said it was of no use going further astern as she was leaking fast. Witness gave orders then to have the boats out and the passengers put into them. He told the second mate to run a line on to the beach. He could not effect a landing at all. They got a line over the stern, towing the boats to that. Alljthe boats were fast to ib except the captain's. The first mate got into the captain's boat and they let her drop astern alongside the others. When they got alongside the first lifeboat witness told the mate to go into her and take charge. Then they dropped further astern. When they came to the last boat the carpenter missed it and they drifted away. The 2nd mate was in the last boat, and came to them to give them a tow back. He towed them for about an hour, but could not make anything of it, and sang out thafc he would have to let go. Witness told him to let go, and they drifted away. He kept as close in to the shore as he could to avoid being; blown to sea. There was a heavy sea running. He tried to make Cape Campbell, but could I not, and thoy steered for the Wairau bar, whore they arrived at 2 o'clock on Monday. Everyone in tho boats had life buoys on. They did not take any soundings, but tho usual precautions were taken. There was nothing wrong with the compasses so .far as witness knew. They were corrected seven or eighfc.months ago. Some magnetic influence with a strong current setting in might have caused the accident* The wind when the Taiaroa struck appeared to come more from the south, but the sea set in strong showing from the ;S.E. Tho lady passengers 1 and the stewardess were in No. 1 lifo- i i boat. 1 A '

James Wesfc t deposed : The vessel was steered S. by W. all the way till Cape Campbell, was reached, when the wind changed suddenly to S.E , blowing hard with a heavy sea. About 5.30 the weather thickened. Were off Waipapa at 6.30, and between 7.10 and 7.15 she struck Tho boats were got out in rotation. The Captain got into his boat last, and witness was told fco hold on to the line, but waa not able. Tho Taiaroa was drawing lift. Bin. aft and Bft. 3in.'forward. The sea was breaking right over the bridge, and there was a heavy sea on fche deck before they left. She bumped heavily the whole time after sho struck.

Samuel Dalrymple, Chief Engineer, deposed that everything went well in the engine room till the vessel struck. He was on watch then. Ifc was twelve minutes past seven. The engine room clock struck a minute or two before the vessel struck. The telegraph rang full speed astern for about twelve minutes. The ship was bumping heavily all the time. When the engines wore stopped there was about 4ft of water in the engine room and the stokehole. As soon as tho engines were stopped witness went on deck. The boats wore then being cleared away. Witness again went down to the engine room Thero was then about 5 or 6 foet of water and the fires wore out.' She was taking in water in the engine room and stokehole doors on the weather side of the deck. Nofc being able to do anything below tlio second Engineer and witness closed tlie doors and went on deck to lend a hand, and to lower the boats. All hands wero on deck at the timo except those of the crew who had got into the Capt-iin's boat. Tho boat witness and others took wjs o:i the weather side. They launched her,

acroßS the dock and lowered hor on the lee side. The Captain and officers did all that was possible. Tho beach seemed very stony and the ship commenced to leak immediately. John Mackey, A.8., gave tho following evidence : He was at the wheel from 2 till 4 o'clock. He steered an S. by W. course. It was not altered while he was at the wheel. They took in the fore and aft sails at 3.30 when the wind chopped round suddenly to the S.E. Witness was relieved at 4 till 7 o'clock. Ho came on deck at that time on the watch as look out forward. About 7.15 the vessel Btruck. He saw nothing of land. The weather was thick and dirty, and it was raining very heavily. The captain and mate were on the bridge at that timo. The course S. by W. was not altered up to 4 o'clock. The vessel seemed to be tho the proper distance off the land when she passed Cape Campbell. Witnesshad steered the sam© course on the Taiaroa for 14 months.

The inquiry was then terminated. The depositions will be forwarded to Wellington. Captain Thompson states that the Taiaroa passed the Hauroto going north somewhere near Cape Campbell. She was steering a course inside the Taiaroa.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH18860414.2.10

Bibliographic details

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4561, 14 April 1886, Page 2

Word Count
1,110

THE EVIDENCE OF SURVIVORS. Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4561, 14 April 1886, Page 2

THE EVIDENCE OF SURVIVORS. Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4561, 14 April 1886, Page 2