A FATAL COLLISION

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4923, 8 January 1902, Page 1

A FATAL COLLISION

San Fkanoisco, January 4.

The steamer Walla jg Walla, bound from San Francisco tojPaget Sound, with 36 nrst-claas and 28 second-class passen- ' gars and 60 of a crew, collided at night off Mendocino, on the .Californlan coast, with an unknown French barque, which rendered no assistance. The weather waa hazy and there was a rough sea. Lifeboats and rafts were lowered and lifebelts distributed. The boats accommodated 63. There was a terrible scene amongst those left aboard. Women screamed and men and boys leaped into the sea. The Walla Walla sank in 33 minutes after the collision. The officers and crew were cool and courageous.

The steamer Despatch rescued the occupants of the drifting boats and rafts. Twenty-seven of the passengers and crew were drowned.

[The Walla Walla was an iron-built vessel of 3,070 tons gross register. She was built in 1881 by J. Roach and Son, of Chester, Pa., U.S.A., and was owned by the Pacific Coast Company.]

It is stated that the Otaki-Manakau Dairy Company intends to test the Scotch market for butter itself.

The whole of the 10,000 peach trees in the Frimley orchard, Hastings, have been ao affected by frosts that none of them will baar any fruit this season. Much-fruit was destroyed by a hailstorm at Odtnaru last week, and damage was also done to vineries.

The Royal flower, the Lily of the Valley, will be the flower for the Coronation decorations. Tons ot the bloom will be wanted.