LOSS OF THE S.S. TAURANGA.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXV, Issue 3041, 3 September 1870, Page 10

LOSS OF THE S.S. TAURANGA.

We take the following from the judgment given at tho Court of Enquiry held on the loss of the Tauranga :— -That the collision hiis, in our opinion, being mainly caused by the neglect of the captain and owner of the ketch Enterprise to provide the usual ship's lights as by law required. Prom the whole tenor of the evidence and conduct of the survivors on reaching Omaha, we are led to the conclusion that all were impressed with the idea that the damage sustained by tho steamer was not of such a nature as to cause her to founder, or they would have taken some means if it were so. Captain Mills having no certificate whatsoever, there is therefore no punishment laid down under this inquiry that we can award for the serious neglect in not providing for the ship's use even a common lantern. The attention of the Government is directed to the necessity of providing proper supervision, in order to enforce compliance with the regulations respecting lights in the matter of coasting vessels, as provided by the Merchant Shipping Act, 1851, and Amendment Act, 1862, part <£. Besides thesubscriptions lists opened in and around the city of Auckland, news of which came by telegraph, we learn that between £40 and £50 have already been collected at the Thames in aid of the unfortunates who have been left destituto by tho loss of the Tauranga. There is a great deal more yet to come, without mentioning the proceeds of tho benefit given by the Star Company. The p. a. Samson returned on the 3rd from Whangarei and by her we learn that a party of M.ioria found on the beach between Bream Tail End and Waipu a skylight, poopladder, companion and other articles, which nro no doubt portions of the missing steamer Tauranga, Tho cutter Alarm also arrived from Mnngapai ; and Captain Seymour reports that on Monday last Mr Gr. Eyre, of Pakiri, found on the beach near his residence a white painted whaleboat, about 16ft long, and filled with sand ; some wire grating, set in mahogany and painted brown, was also found near the boat. From the description these articles have been recognised as belonging to the Tauranga, Later in the day the schooner Jessie, Captain M'lCenzie, arrived from Waipu and she brings the intelligence that on Sunday last the schooner Kenilworth for the South Sea Islands, while lying about half-a-milo off Waipu entrance, where she had gone to land Captain M'Kenzie's wife, picked np a tan- colored dog^ which they saw swimming off from shore to them. On the dog being taken on board, one of the crew, who had a short time previously been employed on the Tauranga, recognised the animal as belonging to that steamer. Next day the dog was given to Cnptain M'Kenzie of the schooner Jessie, to bring up to Auckland. Since, the animal has also been recognised by Mr W. Loggie, the butcher, who informs us that it belongs to the crew of the steamer and was a great favorite with all on board, it having been trained on board the steamer. Other gentlemen who have seen tho dog recognised it as similar to the one on board. This poor animal is as far as we yet know, the only survivor from the wreck. It is thought that the dog, directly after the collision, must havo made for the shore, and, after what would have been a long and boisterous swim, landed in safety on the beach somewhere near Waipu, which is about eight | miles distant from the scene of tho disaster. Tho p.s. Challenger, which had been sent in search of tho Tauranga returned on the. 'Ith after having carefully examined several small islands, finding several discouraging momentoes, which suggest anything but the gloomiest of hopes. At Littlo Barrier Island tho men managed to get on shore at risk of being swamped, and had hardly gone ten yards along the beach before he found a mailbng. It was close sealed, the wax having turned nearly white with exposure to tho suit water ; and on the piece of leather attached was written, "From the Postmaster, Auckland. To the Postmaster, Eawakawa." A little further on, between 40 and 50tongued and grooved boards were fouud, also one chafing spar, two companion doors, one handspike, half a cork lifebuoy, one ash oar, and two other pieces of planking, some of which had been recognised as pnrts of the Tauranga. It is thought that someone of tho poor fellows of the ill-fated Tauranga had managed to get to the lifebuoy, and {lading

ifc fast had attempted to wrench it off, bufc on his endeavoring to loosen it had broken ifc in two. After inspecting Great Barrier Island, Arid Island, Heu Island, and the Panal Islands, the cliffs of which are between 2000 and 3000 feet high, nearly perpendicular, they went to Wangarei Heads, and replenished their stock of water and provisions, and went to little Omaha, where a yellow boat, with black top sides, about fourteen feet long, was observed on the beach, and close to it a small keg. It was, however, impossible to land, owing to the heavy sea running, but all on board were satisfied that the boat did not belong to the s.s. Tauranga. The Challenger was anchored at Little Oatnah for one hour, and during that timo communication was held with the shore. There they learnt that no further traces of the missing steamer had been seen ; however, two parties had started that morning, one in a boat and the other to walk the beach northward in search of further remnants of the lost vessel. A party also started to the boat seen by the Challenger. The subjoined is a complete list of the passengers and crew (as well as the families who remained behind) of the Tauranga on her last trip from this port, so far as it is possible to ascertain: — Saloon: Edward H. Hector, 26, unmarried, native of Bay of Islands; John Wall, Montreal. Steerage: John Walters, married, Auckland, brother of Mr W. Walters, butcher; Mr Laud; a Maori, and two native women, names unknown. Crew : Edward Vincent Bolger, about 26, Bay of Islands, unmarried, commander; W. Harwood, 33, Bay of Islands, chief engineer, wife and one child ; John D. Murroo, 26, Bay of Islands, chief officer, married, five children ; Griffiths Pritchard, 25, Wales, A.B. ; C. Lanu, 31, Prussia, A.8., married, one child; William E. Ransome, 23, Dundalk, A.8., married ; W. Foster, 33, A.8., wife and two children ; George Oldham, 31, New Brunswick, trimmer, single; William Davnney, 28, Newton, fireman, wife and two children; Christopher Reynolds, 33, Dublin, cook, unmarried ; Charles Jobson, second engineer, single ; William Hahn, providore, wife and six children ; Henry Clifford, second cook, unmarried ; William Kell, second steward, single. By this melancholy catastrophe Mr Hurst loses £500; MrWrigley, of Tauranga, about £1400 ; Mr Douglas, of Tauranga, about £900 ; Mr E. J. Morris, of Tauranga, £100/ and Mr Vilcoq, of Russell, £100. # The cargo consisted of about 39 lons of miscellaneous goods, valued at about £400, in addition to which it was known that Captain Bolger was entrusted with considerable sums in gold, supposed to amount to about £300. There was besides about 500 feet of 9 x 1 planking on the deck. The Enterprise had only recently been purchased by Mr Hadfield from Mr J. S. Macfarlane, and was insured in the New Zealand Company's office for £120.