ALL SAVED.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17471, 3 June 1922, Page 9

ALL SAVED.

WILTSHIRE'S MEN LANDED. NO CASUALTIES. GREAT WORK OF RESCUE PARTIES. (I'RESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, June 2. Tho following message was receked by the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Apartment from the postmaster at Coramandel, timed 10 p.m. : All Wiltshire's crew now landed. The last 30 members are camping under trees near to landing place, owing to tracks being too dangerous to travel at night. There were no casualties, and all are reported to be recovering well from their exhaustion. SURVIVORS' VIVID STORY. MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ANGUISH TERRIBLE PLIGHT OF CREW. (press ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, June 2. The "Herald's" special reporter at Tryphena telegraphs:— The men who have come ashore relate .a vivid story of their experiences during the past thirty-six hours. Heavy weather and torrential rein had been experienced for ten hours prior to the wreck, and it was impossible to see a chip's length off. An impression existed that the ship slowed down- somewhat about twenty minutes before she struck. Prior to that she was averaging 320 miles daily. There was a terrific thump when the Wiltshire struck, and Bhe gave four distinct jumps as the impetus forced her on the rocks. The whole complement of the vessel was immediately summoned to the boats and ' rockets of distress were sent up. The boats were swung Out on the leeside and all hands stood to for one and a half hours, every moment of which was intensified suspense. Large seas were breaking over i 'the Teasel, particularly aft, and when. I it became only too apparent that any I attempt to land a boat would see them dashed against the cliff by the terrific seas, it was agreed to await the break of day. All hands spent a night of anguish in the saloon. The ship shook from stern to bow as each wave Btruck her.. Every man except the ship's officers went forward at dawn, and about 7.30 a.m. the Arahura was seen in the roadstead. Although she hung about she was powerless to render assistance.

Ship Breaks in Two. The position at this time was extremely precarious as the ship had listed to starboard and the after portion was in deep water. This was the condition of affairs until about 11.30 a.m. when, with a noise like a thunderclap, the ship snapped in two about No. 4 hatch. Captain Haywood jumped from the bridge and the officers swung themselves down from the forecastle on a rope. Simultaneously with the excitement of this incident there sprang a ray of hope in the breasts of the men who had suffered hour after hour of mental anguish wondering what the next moment would bring forth. Now they knew, however, that the forward part of the ship, relieved of the dead weight behind, would probably remain secure on the rocks.

First Man Ashore. About this time settlers had arrived on tho oliff and every manner of effort was availed of to get a line ashore. Rockets proved of no avail in combating the storm and were all carried adrift, while floating objects met a similar fate. Eventually about 2.30 p.m., a hatchway safely divined its object, floating on to the shore and being secured by the patient workers there. Long hours passed before an endles line had been established and Wheatley, the first man, was drawn foot by root to the shore. At intervals three of his companions joined him, and then operations were suspended for the night. Now the mental anguish of those on board was aggravated by physical endurance. With the exception of a little steak there were no other provisions aboard until supplies were got from the shore this morning. Aa attempt was made to get the papers from the bridge, but the search was fruitless and the ship was verily a total wreck.

Appearance of the Wreck. The Wiltshire had altered her position and appearance since the first glimpse was obtained of her from the fe Awhina. yesterday. Only two of the lifeboats remained in the davits, the rest having been carried away. Three maate are still standing erect forward in defiance of the tempest which has abated to a moderate gale. A smoke stack, somewhat smaller than the ordinary, is there, while another nxast is pitably striving to maintain it* position immediately behind it. Vefiterday the submerged portion of the ship was just discernible but it has now disappeared Wreckage is niUna up on the shore, particularly on gaitoke beach, where many mad bags have been observed. Cigarettes in tins of fifty have floated ashore m thousands. Bescued Astray in the Bush. The old saying that it never rains but it pours, was illustrated at the expense of the'first ten who got ashore tor they lost their way endeavouring to dear the mile of bush leading x« Rosalie Bay. After an anxious hour in iKushthey got free and came over 88v and heavy bridle tracks to Jryphena! whence they were conveyed to the Katoa.

THE PHILOMEL'S PARTY. A THRILLING STORY OF THEIR COURAGEOUS WORK. TERRIBLE JOURNEY ACROSS COUNTRY. (press association telegraji.} AUCKLAND. Juno 2. The "Herald's" Coromandel correspondent reports that all the ship's company have been safely landed from the wreck—a total of 103. There were no casualties. The weather is awful again, but the last lot from the wreck are under tarpaulins. All the others aro on board the Katoa, which will leave for Auckland on Saturday afternoon.

The- survivors have been well taken care of by the settlers.

The Philomel's party with rescue gear arrived at the scene of the wreck early this morning. On arrival they found that the Katoa's landing party had already landed 12 men, making 16 in all with "the four resrued the previous evening. The rescue was effectively carried out by means of a life-line secured to a tree on the cliff.

The Katoa's party set to work courageously on the previous evening and spent the night on the cliff in drenching rain. Tired and famished as they were, they immediately started the •..oik of rescue when the light permitted. \ On the arrival of the Philomel's party the Work of rescue was enabled to proceed more rapidly, ten men hauling on an endless rone and bringing men to the shore one at a time. ' Food was sent out to the wreck, the crew being famished and thirsty. The rescue party from the Philomel spent the night at Tryphena and had a terrible journey across country to reach the scene of the wreck this morning. They had to wade through flooded creeks breast nigh, and scramble through dense dush, with the result that thev were badly knocked about and drenched through before they reached the wreck.

HOW THE FIRST MAN GOT TO LAND. STRENTJOTTS WORK OF SHORE TARTY. AUCKLAND, June 2 (1025 a.m.). A reporter of one of the Auckland papers' telegraphed as follows from Tryphena at 7 a.m.: — After four men were landed from the Wiltshire last evening, the rescue Work was suspended, owing to nightfall, just when, by the efforts of the Katoa's party, settlers were enabled to get into communication with the wreck. It is believed that a line was floated ashoro from the Wiltshire and ieemred by men ashore. This was followed by getting aboard tho Wiltshire an endless rope. Alter several hours' work the first man rescued was got ashore. He was followed by three others, but owing to the terrible etormy conditions and to night setting in, the work of rescue was interrupted. Ninety-nine men lemained on the vessel.

A party from the Katoa, landed at 7 o'clock this morning, is making it 3 way over a. rugged track to a the wreck, travelling as Tight as possible, under the guidance of Great Barrier settlers. It has a strenuous job before it.

Tremendous Sea Pounding on Coast. 1 p.m. Arrangements have been made with Walsh Bros., of, the Kohimarama Flying School, to convey to Great Barrier Inland life-saving appliances received from Wellington. It was quite impossible for the Waiotahi or the Kntoa to go to the ocean side of the island. A tremendous sea. was pounding on the const there, and the remains of the Wiltshire must be standing an awful strain. However, it would take a lot to break down the construction of the big ship. Although those aboard might be uncomfortable, there was littlo, doubt of their eventual rescue: The tug Te Awhina- could not get within a mile of the wreck. Blue-jackets working life-sa/ving apparatus this morning landed several more men from the Wiltshire.

The Katoa will bring the shipwrecked people to Auckland. Tho Chief Officer. Mr Harold Harris, R.N.R., chief officer of the Wiltshire, is an English officer who recently took his master's certificate. He came to New Zealand in the Westmoreland as second officer. He was late chief officer in the Remuera, but later transferred to the Shire line, and this was his second trip out on the Wiltshire. Mr Harris was a prisoner of war in Germany for some time during the war, while serving as lieutenant at Antwerp. His wife, who is at present in England, was Miss V. Dodds, of Port Chalmers, a niece of Mr J. S. Dodds, of Akarpa.

THE VALUE OF THE WILTSHIRE. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CARE OF THE CREW. (special to "the tress.") AUCKLAND, June 2 So far, no information concerning the insurances on the Wiltshire and her cargo are available. The insurances on the cargo were arranged chiefly in England, and it will be some time before the exact amounts are known here. It is thought probable that every marine insurance company in New Zealand will be affected. The local agents are not m possession of figures which would indicate the value at which the Wiltshire is carried on the company's books or of the insurances on the vessel. At the present value of vessels of her type, it is estimated locally that the Wiltshire would represent a value of from £170,000 to £175,000. Complete arrangements have been made by the management of the Auckland Sailors' Home for the reception of the Wiltshire's crew. Shakedowns have been made up, and everything lias been prepared for the comfort of the men. The Governor-General visited the Homo last evening, and expressed pleasure at the arrangements that had been made. The Superintendent of Mercantile Marine (Captain Atwood) has received ai telegram from Mr E. S. Wilson, secretary of the Shipwrecked Mariners' Relief Society at Dunedin, offering monetary help to provide comforts tor tho crew of the Wiltshire.

Wiltshire's Cargo. Kinsey and Co., Ltd., who are the Christchurch agents for the Federal line, were to have handled the Wiltshire's inward cargo (not the N.Z. Shipping Company, as stated in yesterday's issue). The N.Z Shipping" Company were to have acted as agents for th*. Wiltshire's outward car»ro.

THE RELIEF SHIPS. BUFFETED BY MOUNTAINOUS SEAS. KATOA'S DIFFICULT TASK. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, June 2. A reporter, telegraphing at, 4 a.m., stated that the steamer Katoa had a memorable night in responding to the appeal for assistance. She had been six hours on her voyage from Auckland to Whangarei when, at 11.10 p.m., her wireless operator picked up an "5.0.5." call. Tho night was filthy. Battling against strong head seas, the cargocarrier had left Great Barrier Island 25 miles behind when she received the signal of distress. With strong seas behind her, her course was retraced ' hastily. She came round the northern , end of the island, exchanging rockets with the wreck. Though she actually had passed the Wiltshire, the latter s position was not discovered. The difficulty of the Katoa s tasK under such tempestuous conditions, ana the darkness of night, was accentuated, as was revealed subsequently, by the closely-hidden manner in which tho doomed vessel was piled against the coast. The Katoa, hardly seeing a length ahead, coasted about until 6.3U a.m., when she received a wirele?s message from the Arahura, stating that the latter was 10 miles from the wreck, and proceeding there at a speed ot 14 miles an hour. . The cantain of the Katoa remained at Tryphena, and kept in touch with the Arahura by wireless. In this manner it was arranged that the Katoa should send a party ashore. Accordingly, a party of five—the chief officer." the purser, the third engineer, and two able seamen —set out about J a.m., and a second party, consisting of the boatswain and an able seaman, was despatched a few hours later, witn storm appliances and blankets. The Arahura hung around till a p.m.—-her 100 passengers will long remember the buffeting she received--until she was advised to proceed on her journey south. The party on the Auckland Harbour Board's tug Te Awhina had an unenviable trip, but the powerful little vessel made good progress against u stiff north-easter, despite the fact that she was shipping seas continually. J ha nearest point was sighted about midday, and when Rosalie Bay opened up the Wiltshire was revealed, piled up at an acute angle, seemingly her own length from the shore. Her back obviously was broken. The tore part, from the funnel forward, was clearly defined. Some lifeboats were discernible in the davits. Pathetic iittle groups could be made out, huddled to starboard on the forecastle. Though the tug approached within 200 or 300 it was powerless to render any assistance. No signs of recognition were made from the unfortunate vessel, and the tug returned to Tryphena. There her party boarded the Katoa. In the evening the tug went out into the roadstead and brought off the Philomel's i party, with ite salvage apparatus.

EARLIER REPORTS. PROGRESS OF THE WORK OF RESCUE. AWFUL CONDITIONS. (PRESS ASSOCIATION IEIEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, June 2 (10.55 p.m.) The Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department has received advice from the postmaster at Coromandel, reporting that darkness and awful conditions prevented further rescues from the wrecked Wiltshire last night.

Operations were commenced again at daylight, and the crew is being hauled ashore one by one. It is expected to take all day "to complete the rescue. 12.3 p.m. The Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department has received the following message from the postmaster at Coromandel:— The gale is still raging, and very cold weather is prevailing. The Katoa reports that, as far as is known, what is left of the wreck is still hung up on the rocks. The wreck is not visible from the Katoa. FORMER WRECKS.

The following is a list of former wrecks on the Great Barrier Island: — August 30th, 1871—Peter Cracroft, cutter; a total loss. August Bth, 1872.—Three Sisters, cutter;. a total loss. September 16th, 1877.—Miranda, cutter; a total loss. October 27th, 1878.—Maggie Robertson, schooner; foundered. January Ist, 1880. —Potomahana, steamer, loaded with excursionists, stranded on a rock off the island, but the passengers were got off safely, and little damage was done. December 15th, 1880—Hettie, schooner; a total loss. September °th, 1882.—Whawaharau, schooner; a total loss. August 23rd, 1883.—Forest Queen, ketch, stranded, with slight damage. September sth, 1883.—Rangatira, cutter; a total loss. March 18th, 1887.—Whangarea, schooner; a total loss. May Bth, 1887.—Lallah Rookh, steamer; a total loss. May loth, 1889.—Rose, cutter; a total loss. June 2nd, 1889.—Zfflah, ketch; a. total loss, two lives lost. January sth, 1892.—Mahurangi, cutter; stranded. August loth, 1892.—Olive, schooner; a total loss.

October 28th, 1894.—Wairarapa, steamer • a total loss; Captain Macintosh and 126 passengers and rxew perished.