S.S. WAIRARAPA

Southland Times, Issue 20012, 28 October 1926, Page 6

S.S. WAIRARAPA

A TRAGIC ANNIVERSARY. I WRECKED THIRTY-TWO YEARS AGO TO-DAY. One of the worst wrecks in New Zealand's history occurred thirty-two years ago to- ; day, when the U.B.S. Co’s Wairarapa was lost at Miner’s Head in the Great Barrier and one hundred and thirty-four persons ■ were drowned. It was not till Wednesday, October 31, i that any fears were entertained for the , vessel’s safety. In the columns of the I Southland Tunes of that date there is a 'brief telegram from Aucldand that stated: 1 “The Wairarapa left Sydney on Wednesday last at 6 p.m. and was due at this port 1 early yesterday morning. The Rotomahana, which left 24 hours after the Wairarapa, arrived at daylight to-day, and did not see the Wairarapa on the voyage, which was a fine weather one. It is considered that some accident must have happened to the machinery of the Wairarapa.” Then follows a reafsuring message from Dunedin to the effect that the Manapouri had sighted the Wairarapa on Friday, and no anxiety was felt concerning the steamer by the company’s officers. The Times on the following morning contained two telegrams in which growing concern was evinced. Then some hours after the paper had been printed people were dumbfounded throughout the whole of New Zealand by the news that the Wairarapa was a total wreck and more than a hundred had perished. Business in the centres was practically suspended. In Christchurch the Cathedral bells rang a muffled peal, and in every city, town and village there was the deepest grief. The wreck occurred just before midnight on Sunday 28th. The weather was thick and there was a heavy sea. Until the vessel actually struck there was no sign of land. The passengers were in bed at the time and the scenes, more especially in the case of those who had children aboard, were most pathetic and heartrending. Great difficulty was experienced in putting the people on board tile boats, as the lower portions of the deck were under water. An attempt was made to lower the starboard boats but they were capsized and a number of those in them were drowned. Captain Mclntosh was on the bridge until it was swept away. At daybreak two of the crew swam ashore with lines and most of the passengers remaining on board were thereby saved. In the columns of the Times on November 2 there are several narratives by passengers who were saved from the ill-fate<l ship.

One of these is as follows: “We saw the Three Kings on Sunday about breakfast time. The weather was foggy and we could see the coastline only sometimes through the fog. We steamed all day through fog. Towards evening the officers got anxious about the distance run and kept looking at the patent log every half hour or so. The passengers began talking in groups, noticing how thick the night was and the speed of the vessel. They had a presentiment that something serious would happen. Some of the passengers till about nine o’clock were singing hymns, among them by a strange coincidence being. “Pull for the shore” and “Shall we gather at the river.” About 10.30 the ship’s course was altered. At midnight she went on the rocks with 3 terrific smash and grinding motion, knocking down the glasses and lamps. The passengers went up in an orderly manner on deck. One of the officers said the vessel was going 13j knots when she struck. After she struck the engines were reversed but she heeled on the port side and settled down, some of the passengers, principally women, sliding off the deck into the sea. From the after part of the ship two boats were got out to save the women and others, one boat taking 29 1 and the other 35. Heartrending cries were heard in the darkness from the waters, and orange cases, sheep j>ens and horses went overboard, some of those in the water being struck by the horses and wreckage. The after deck-house was lifted by a great wave and the life rafts slipped off. Some of the stronger passengers go on and helped others on. the rafts. Others tried to get aft to the starboard boat, but there was no officer or seaman there to give instructions and it got stove in against the deck when cut away from the davits. It got partly filled with water but ten got. into it and kept afloat till they were rescued by another boat two hours later. Some of the crew endeavoured to save the passengers but there was confusion and no general orders. From the bridge only the grinding noise and smashing of things being carried away could be heard, accompanied by cries of those be- ; ing killed by wreckage. The second stewardess showed great bravery. She fastened life belts round the women before going on deck and then was washed overboard. We hung in the rigging and to tho boat davits with the sea breaking over us till daylight. Some were washed off, their strength having failed them. We gradually saw the cliffs when the fog cleared away and day began to break. The steamer’s bow was six feet into the mouth of a cleft.” There are many tragic passages in the telegrams. It is stated for instance that police left by the ss. Argyle with fifty shells to bury the dead; also a postal officer and diver to recover the mails. AH through New Zealand relief funds were raised to help sufferers in the disaster. The boat was sold for salvage, the hull realising £7O and the cargo £l6O.