THE INQUEST OPENED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 434, 17 February 1909, Page 8

THE INQUEST OPENED.

AD J OTJRNED TO "WEDNESDAY NE XT. . Tho inquest on tie victims of' tho wreck was formally opened iaf tlw Magistrate's Court yesterdaybefore Dr. A.. M'Arthur, S.M./;Coroner,V: .and a':iui# : •; consisting. of Messrs.' J.'D. Siovwright, IS.-: J., Staples, G. Wahren; J: B.Speed, ,T. AVariiock, 'and vW., M'Kay. . : . Mr. Sievwright was elected .foreman, or tho >:jv. : ; -v v-,;; J

Dr. M'Arthur remarked that-he would not .detain tlio jury, for any length of.,time at the present., stage, 1 and proceeded -to quote. Section oi SulJ-scction 1, of the Coroners.Amend-, ■moat Act, 1908, which gave authority that m any, inquest .' as to the manner of .. the death of any person, it shall -not be necessary for

any jury; to - view- 'the ■ body ,;6f the .person. Acting bn'the authoritv'given ih therA'ct, be ;had gone out to Terawhitrto -view the bodies 'so, as to be able to give Mftificates for burial; to ..relatives .who 'Wished ,to bury -their. ! de'ad. A.'nautical inquiry into the , cause_ of. the. wreck--was: to .be held the. next, morning,; and when • that ' been - completed'; it would be

possible/to collect such witnesses as should be called, whereaß' if the inquest was held, right;'away it would be a case of. groping in :the dark in the; selection.of. witnesses.;. If witnesses were 1 called' at present. some of them might bo able to give valuable evidence,, but others might be of no use to ■'the' r jury./ After the .evidence given on . oath at .the nautical. inquiry, however, such witnesses could be selected'as would be of use. to the jury in helping them to arrive at a proper conclusion. The inquest would be adjourned until 2.15 p.m on Wednesday, February' 24. ■'■;■". " ''■'.'■ ;• 'V' : :' MESSACES OF SYMPATHY. The Mayor (the Hon. 1 T. W. Hislop) haß received the following-telegrams:— ■.'From,' Mr.'. Wilson, Mayor of Brisbane, Queensland"Citizens of Brisbane 'sympathise with sufferers and bereaved-Jjy.wreck ateamer, Penguin.','; >. ■ Reference to tho wreck was -made by' the president of the. Industrial Association (Mr. W.; A.'Newton) at' the commencement of last night's meeting.; The heartfelt .sympathy of every member of tbo association went out, _he was sure, to. the bereaved relatives. A motion of,. sympathy was .passed by the members,. standing. . ■ ■ At .the-'meeting of the, Wellington''branch of tho Australasian Federated Seamen's , Union held last evening the following resolution wiis carried, in silence, all present ,standing:—"That the members, of; .this'.uniori. re-; cord with regret the unfortunate',,'disaster 1 .which befell the s.s\ Penguin on Friday night' last, .resulting in' great; loss-of life, and desire to respectfully, convey to tho relatives and friends of our deceased oomiades in.tho crew and aas'serigers our heartfelt, .'sympathy in .the; siuf and untimely'.'loss; they 'have sustained." Subsequently it 'was decided that each surviving member of the union/should; be voted the, sum; of £10 from the funds, as. a shipwreck donation/ It was further;/resolved that a subscription list in aid of : the;relatives. of deceased .member's .be/immediately opened,' and copies of be;plaoed on board all steamships in 'Australasia. / / ' • 1 The, Union; Company. have received from 1 the captain,/ officers,' 'and' men of H-.M.S. Encounter, -nowat.Hobart, a message expres-. sing sympathy with' the company and- the relatives of, those persons who lost their, lives in tho/.sad /disaster. . At their.' last meeting the Groymouth Harbour Board - passed. . a , motion, conveying a similar condolence. Z

.. . : (BT TKLEGttAFU—PRESS ASSOCIATION.!" Auckland, February 16. The Prime Minister; (Sir Joseph Ward); has replied as \follows to the message from the Mayor of Christchuroh expressing sympathy ■ with the Bufferers by the Penguin wreck and suggestion -for - the raising of, a. fund. "I desire to thank the.citizens of-Christ-church for. their kind message of sympathy, to, the sufferers and friends and relatives of those who lost'-their, lives in • the •< sad disaster. : It .is. difficult at the- moment - to know.: what may be required to- give , relief to those/who have been left behind, .hut assoon as' it' is -ascertained what. is :required -the- Government will gladly co-Qperate to afford relief and assistance." , ' .. ■ •- l . The .Prime Minister has received a cablegram from the High Commissioner informing him that great sympathy lias- been expressed, at Home, and deepest interest evinced\ m the sad doss of life caused by-, the: wreck of , the ■ Penguin,: and that ■ numerous inquiries were being made as to the names of those lost. - Sir Joseph Ward cabled in reply, giving the' whole :of" the, names, and identification. Ghrlstchurch, February 10. The Congregational Union to-day. decided to Bend : the: follopng telegram to.the Mayor of Wellington.—

;^ e > P?®BwgSiionid Union, now sitting. in. Christchurch,. extends to the', bereaved and sufferers/.through' the .'wreck .of, the Pengum -their ;most;prpfoiihd. sympathy.!' In'addition- to'the' general message,'' special messages of sympathy; were, sent to Mrs.-A. lii. Bone and Mr. Jas. Henry. ■ : SHIPMENT OF REMAINS/ The remains of the late Mr. W. H. Henry and Mrs. Henry were taken .to' Christchurch. e /;MBr^roa.:yesterfay. : f6r.':priTat6. inters inent. ittrtho.; Addiugton: Cemetery.'-v ■ : . ,'"o bodies of. Mr. Hannam' andthe - four, onildren will bo conveyed ,to;-Pieton • by the Pateona to-dav, where t-hoy ;Will be, given a public. funeral /at . 2 o'clock to-morrow,-' ■ orrangements- having been niado for this •bv the Mayor* of Picton; ': : V.. J -Tho remains of the lato Mrs. Evans, Mrs Hart,'and, Master Archibald Greig -ivere ped'to Nelson yesterday. ; - >i-v vThe body of Mr. AV A. M'lntyre, late °W9 f ,: °m oe r; of...the. Penguin," .will be conmed, in an. oak casket lined; with lead, to Hobart/leaving Wellington to-morrow ' , ' . l'lio remains of the late Mr. John Seed were taken, to .liyttelton yesterday for burial at Rangiora. . -The body of Mr.'ll. Wharton Shaw will bo : taken 'to .Melbourne, by' the Ulimaroa, which .leaves this, port .to-morrow.. :The funeral procession from.'l 33 Upper Abel Smith Street to the steamer will take place at ,2 p.m. ; - A DRAMATIC INCIDENT. i W. Perreira, ono of the firemen who was saved from th<S wreck by means of one of the.'rafts, -tells, of a graphic incident in connection .with Friday night's disaster. V : "Whilst xnir raft was passing to leeward of one of the boats, someone on board tho boat sang out—'There's only one man: in this'."boat! Who: aro .y'oii?'. said -Perreira 'I'm - Henderson,' • came , tho reply.j juts t ■after- that , a .big sea came along and overturned the raft, and at., the same, time swamped the boat.; Then again through the gale came, a . .cry—'Everyone's drowned in this boat but ine.' . s - . " 'Who are. you?' they shouted from the raft.''-:" ,;'-'l'm Henderson 1!. were tho : last - s words heard. '.'•.v,.. Henderson belonged to Port Chalmers, and was a member of the New' Zealand N-ivil ißeserve. r- ■ " -t - A BENEFIT MATINEE. message^was' reoeived from' MrJ. ,C. Sydney, .last '.evening, -instructing: Mr ; Ashton, the manager of tho. "Red Mill" . Musical Comedy Company, to arrange a matinee performance for Saturday next., in; aid of the sufferers' bv the wreck of tho Penguin. The -message made it plain that the gross receipts (witnout any deduction 'whatsoever) are ; to '-be given, to the'; sufferers.' Mr... Ashton' and: Mr. Bert. Royle (local representative for the firm) are making- the requisite'.-: arrangements, ; and tliero is . little doubt' that the performance of so bright a musical play will attract,, a very large audience.: • Tho receipts' will bo handed , over to: the Mayor's. Fund. Thiß.;spontanoous action on tho part of Mr. Williamson indicates -that the disaster has niado a profound impression in Australia.

TO-DAY'S FUNERALS. / The. following/ private funerals' will .take place ; to-day Bishop and' son, ■ leava ; residence 10 a:m. for Karori Cemetery; Mr. A. E. Bono, - leave .Terrace . Congregational Church at 10 a.m. for Karori; ; Mr. Stanley. : . Rentoul, leave 60 TaranaKi 'Street, ,10 a.m., for Jvarori; 'Sirs. Toomer and daughter, leavo V 34' Herald Street, 1 p.m., for Karori; Mrs. : Hope, leave Buckle Street; 2 p.m., for Mount i Street Cemetery. . THE INQUIRY. ! Dr. M'Arthur,. S:M., /will preside at tho magisterial, inquiry'into ' the circumstances:/', under which tlio Perisuin was wrecked.. The ■ inquiry will commence at 10 o'clock this morri- . ing. ..The nautical assessors will, be Captain: . was at one time in command of the Penguin and other. Union Company's i vessels, and Captain. Reed, late of tho Tyser, j; Company. //.;/V'///V'-;'.':"' '-/i ; ' THE BURIALS. :By .10 a.m. yesterday close on \fifty graves v '; had been preparedj at -the; Karori Cemetery. The work,/.which was' commenced'.;at 2 :p.m. _ on the preyibus.day, was carried ,i>ut th«ji> oemeterjf staff, bf. six" handst and' twenty:oni-j; ; /' ployees in,;the City. Engineorls: department.;]';. In- all' twenty-eight. burials' took place, in the ijT cemetery yesterday.' . The burials yestcirday;;;t,' ; .bring th'o .total number of interments in /the 1 /:/ 'Karori/ Cemetery, which was. opened',aßoiii-M seventeen years ago; up to. over 9500. It is 'worthy of record also that the number of ' I visitors yesterday ; far-'exceeds' tho aggregate . for.\any other .day' in'the''history,- of ! the cemetery.;' It is estimated that: at the time of the' public funeral there were over .TOGO '• : people inside .the cemetery; whilst ;hundreds of, people :.'nsited^'it-later in the-day. / Of.V 'the burials .which took ;place'yesterday, four-'■: ;in. tho Church of England X portion of the cemetery.; eight 1 in the publio portion, and/six' in /the /Roman//; Catholio portion.'. Severed.- of the private- funerals in connection .with ■ the wreck were conducted ;, 'pri^.;.t6.:the v '^ublio^fuherai;'"rarid''^'."nmber'r? later in tho day, the last about 4.30 p.m.

THE LATE MR. A. E. BONE. By reason of a long commercial life in Dun< edm, and also by reason of his-social attain-. ments and: musical says the "Otago Times,!' Mr.: A. E. Bone, - who -is a.,victim of. ~r the wreck,-was very well known m-Dunedin. ~ His commercial life -has:, been spent in tho •/- •employ of Messrs. Sargood, Son, and Ewen, /. ■ for which firm-he was till recently acting as . - manager of their- boot factory, having neld this position for the greater part of. 25 years. About sis -months :ago the firm showed l its .- 1 confidence m< him by offering him tbe choice or a position m London or of travelling for sthe firm in New Zealand. A couple of yeard ago he began to feel the effects of tho confine- :■ - ment of the factory life ,upon his health, and ' ■ for .that -reason elected to accept the position of traveller for the firm in New Zealand. ..- This work,.: since lus undertaking of it, ho found-very congenial, and was very happy. : ih. it, - his - health: .having ■■■ improved Iby the' ■ ~ -change of ,In musical circles Mr;= • -. Bone was well known... His ability in -this ' direction, made him a prominent member of the Choral Society and also of. tho Inedertafel.v; As a; soloist Mr. Bone- was. largely in - - ; demand in private circles and on behalf of . many, worthy objects in connection with his t : church life. Ho was an old member and deac.on^of-the Moray Place" Congregational ' Church, m the general lifo of which he took a deep and active Besides his' dut- v: les as deacon, Mr.- Bone was-a fine working member of the- choir, in which ho was a pleader,by.virtue of ability, and was also inter- - ; .- ested m-Sunday school work; having for some years,acted .as teacher.. -. His-genial naturo ■ and sunny, smile .made "him one of the most loved-men.in tho church, with which his con- ■ ■■ nection .was of long duration. Mr. Bone was : married, living with his r.wife and - family: in , High Street, Roslyn, and leaves a widow,- two 1 - sons and .-a daughter," besides very largeoircle of friends. MEMORIAL SERVICE. i.-.-A- memorial, service, m . connection with •- the /Penguin: , disaster,was :. J held in tho : . ■ .Missions to .Seamen Church last: night,, a■' large congregation..being:-present.: Mr.. James •' Moore, the ,;Missioner, . preached, an; appro< - priate seimon. . .Mr. E. L. Burgess also clo; - 'r livered a short address, and Mr. J S. Cum< - ■mings Tead the Hymns were sung, and;, the; Dead March m ''Saul", was played. , -

| FURTHER SEARCH FOR BODIES. ' Tho four .police-officers : who aro- still at Terawhit) • patrolling beach"* in' search o( other -bodies, ithat -may,.jbo-;washed 'ashori " ■ went lip ii;s, far as .Ohau- Bay yesterday, bub -informed:: Sub-Inspector Phair.: that-: 110 .trace: -v was found of others -.-of:; .the - drowned Tha ■ / ■ Jterangi ..cable, station- telephone is- • beinf • kept- open :so , that, news. or any recoveries fflay be. sent.-,into town at once. - -.The Union * ! Company's ; tug, , : Terawhiti, : .is .to leave.' fof' ■ '; ; the Cape. this morning- to '• search; for ' bodied V ■ that may. bo floating off tho . shore. . . l BELIEVED TO BE DROWNED. . Mr. Wy.T. Young, secretary of tho Sea<i mon s . TJnion,. states . .thata . : man ". named . Leonard . Owens, formerly an ablo seaman oil . the Stormbirdj is believed t-o have bec-il ' ..a member of .the? crew, of -the Penguin when /the. vessel; !^V wrecked; oa.:Friday;v!night.'' Owens, is : ..believed . to*'-have signed\on - thai Penguin -.when-.- she' -was -- recommissioned _ about six weeks <. or. t'woV months' ago, -and " : .Mr. Young , received. a ..letter. \ from him . . . (written on tho Penguin) about a fortnight - / ' ago, ,'and ..has no; reason to- believe -that he : (Owens) had left tho: ship since then. ' 7 RELIEF FUND. The following- donations . were received- in ■ , .The Dominion-office yesterday for the. assist.' v-.. ance'of ..those-bereaved.;through .the Penguif ~ .wreck:—: .; £ s. d. C. Revell (collected in Petone) I 0 0 DS ... 10 0 JS 110 RE H 2 0 Infants of. Clyde Quay. School ■■' J2IOJ • >'■ 1 G A.N. .. ..v 2 6 C G.H 5 0 \ Friend ..v-10- ■ R H 5 0 LM. (Marten) 2 6 •••• Previously' acknowledged ... 12 14 6 . . Total £16 16 4J, THE NEED FOR LICHTHOUSES. • (BI TELEOHAI'H-sri'XIAI, COIiIiL'SroSDINT.) Auckland, February 16. Tho Penguin -calamity, is used by.tha- ■ :'-'Herald I '. as 'an. argument, for more light-:. • houses; In the courie 'of.. a: sub-leader, - that journal says-It is. now more than six years since . the disastrouswreck 'of J the Elingamite :. on' the..Threo Kings?. At the' time of .the . , catastrophe attention was. drawn to:the.great' ; ■ daiiger ; ;to 'shipping .R owing ..to these' rocks standing in the fairway of vessels amidst im-v. certain arid, treacherous..-currents: bemg . lin.-; 'provided eithe'r.with '& .-light; or a fog signal. We strongly, urged upon'the; Government; tho .; i for making some attempt to mini*' :,: !. miso tho danger by either ,or both of these precautions, :but though six years_ have passed away. nothing has been : done. ■ ■: ,- ! and the Three Kings remain sis great a peril - as ever to tho shipping traversing the track , in which they lie. : Since Mr. Millar, has been at tho head of the-Marine Department mora energy has certainly- been-shown in connection with tho lighting of our coast, but much . still requires to bo done to warn the marinei - from certain danger points that exist along ... trado' routes;, that'.-are'-: constantly' becoming: V, ' moro and "more crowded. These ; danger points are. well, known toj all navigators, l , but j - it is only when' somei . terrible .disaster occurs .. that tho public realiso the risks which. ; arerun owing to. their unlightcd condition. The loss of tho Penguin and over 70 of those on - 1 board pgain brings the impprtancoofthe^ub'.-■:(: :; ject before the public witlv tragic directness. ' \Ve trust that on this- sad occasion the public will insist- on measures being adopted which will at' least modify, if they cannot :■ V' ; wholly avert, the dangers of the sea. ' The Three Kings, and .Capo Terawhiti at least' ought to be provided ; with-'distinguishing, ; lights,"and all othor points that, aro a real. ' nienaco to safe navigatiori.':,The' cost .would'-!',"-no: doubt be; considerable,;but, where human i - life is , involved under, circumstances of appalling horror, cost ought to be. a secondary ' ' consideration.