THE WAIRARAPA WRECK.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7130, 12 November 1894, Page 2

THE WAIRARAPA WRECK.

THE OFFICIAL ENQUIRY. At the enquiry into the WairarApa wreck Mr Cecil Smith, of Sydney, saloon passenger, •aid he mw a good deal of the captain during the evening, and said to him, " I suppose we are off the Bay of Island* ?" The captain replied, " 1 don't know whether yon are joking or not, I with yon would tell me where I am/ or words to that effect. This would be about 6 o'clock in the evening. Toward* 10 o'clock bo made reply to some remark to the effect that " We were very wide off the Poor Knights," and afterwards that " If he caw the Poor Knights be would then know where be was. " All that evening he mmcd to be very anxious. The captain said to Mr Chick in his bearing that a captain's lifswssootaUbeerandskiillee. He said to Mr Chick be had smoked more cigars that day than be bad done for months. The captain then walked to the port aide, and that was about a auarter past 10 o'clock. Auckland, to-4ay — The official enquiry was reenroed this morning. Mr James Pipe, a saloon passenger, said be was on the quarter deck the greater part of Baoday, and spoke frequently to Captain Melntosh. The captain did not take his meals as nasal, bat smoked a lot of cigars, and seemed anzioos to sight land, being coo Uoually on the look-oat. Witness asked the captain whether the fog would make any difference to him. Tlm captain laughed and •aid, " I don't think so, but it v a great nuisance." The captain was quite sober. Mr Pipe was questioned as to the conduct of the officers on the rooks, and said the chief officer seemed to snow utter indifference to anything going on. The paeseugers iiwiJ to do all toe work. The purser took bold of a rope once, but witness aid not notice what the second officer did. The witness was asked whether anything could have been done by the officers which was not dons. Hs replied that there were Dunlop, Fraser, Kendall, and one or two like them, who came out prominently, but they appeared to have no leader. He could not say the officers should bar* saved more lives, but, bad someone been in command, the people would have been brought ashore in better condition. Replying to another query, witness said the captain appeared to be very carefully attending to his duties. Mr Frank William Varley, after describ ing his experience till the time the bridge was washed away, said that he saw neither the captain, officers, nor crew the whole of this time, nor did he hear any order given except by one of the stewards about putting on life belts. When daylight broke he saw the chief mate in the foretop. A little below him was the second officer and the purser. Dunlop had swum ashore. The officers appeared to have done very little It was remarked on the rocks that al! seemed to have been done by the passenger* and one of the stewards. He saw nothing of the third officer, Johnston, till he cam* round with the Maoris. It was impossible V • speak too highly of Dunlop, who risked hia life to save Miss Flavall, and showed far greater heroism than any other when he reached the rock, as he at ones assumed command, until disabled by being dashed on the rocks while attempting to save Miss Flavall. Witness did not think more could have been done than was done, after the officers got on the rocks. Mr Chapman, a pessengsr, said be vu above the chief mate in the rigging until after day-break. The mate had only hi* waistcoat and shirt on, and was numb. The mate superintended the ropes, and gave orders to young Leighton to get the signal halyards, wbirb the mate mads fast to s buoy. The chief and second officer both -T'H^r 1 in trying to float the buoy aabor*. Chrwtchirch, to-day.— lt is believe*? that Professor Rauly, late of Ambsrley, wa» ooe of the ill fated' passengers in the Wai rarspa disaster. He inherited a legacj lately, and was returning to New Zealand. The amount in the hands of the Mayor foi the relief fund is £108 Is Od. The prvti from the Weirarapa Relief Fund Stakes a* the races on Thursday was £132 10s. WnxinoTOV, to-day. — Wellington's 000 rributfon to the Wairarapa relief fund no* amoonu to £480. An address in album form to Mr W. Ferguson, congratulating him upon his owt. and Mrs Ferguson's providential escape from the wreck, i» being signed in town. Ttu Mayor and Chairman of the Harbor Board headed the list of signatures.