The Wreck of the Wairarapa.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 120, 16 November 1894, Page 2

The Wreck of the Wairarapa.

CONTINUATION OF THE ENQUIRY. (pee press association ) Auckland, November 14 Tbe evidence of the second officer of the Wairarapa, Mr Clark, was then continuedHe stated that when the line was being sent ashore, Moyes was down below lending all possible help he could. How was it that there was such a tremendous mortality among tbe women and children and pasaengers as compared with the officers and the ship's company. You see people were rushing out of their cabins while we were getting tbe boats out. Only two of the boats got away. The waves swept the women and children away, and they could not be picked up. There were only three of the crew left in the ship. I think the rest got away in boats or were picked up Mr Northcroffc: Then it appears that the crew were picked up in preference to passengers ? Mr Campbell : That is » presumption that ought not to be made apart from the evidence. Mr Clark was again recalled. Mr Northcroft : There is an order in the Union Company's regulations for boat drill once a week. When was the last drill held ? Six months ago. Can you say why there was no boat drill? I think because the captain was very ill. November 15. At the Wairarapa inquiry Leighton, a passenger, said be heard the chief officer giving orders from the forerigging, and assisted in the endeavours to get a line ashore The lookout man said there were 26 in the boat in which he saw. Altogether she might carry 40. At daylight could not tee the wreck, and thought she had disappeared. They were about half a mile oil round a point. Mr Cooper, solicitor, here remarked— " I think it will be seen that the boat was lying within half a mile of the wreck, and people were drowning all the time." His instructions from Government were to spare no time nor expense in probing the cause of tho casualty to the bottom. Witnws denied Dr Hams' statement as to the neglect of tho passengers. David Davis, seamen, gave evidence as to trying to get the women to his boat first At midnight, when he was on the look-out, just before the vessel struck, he could hardly see 20 yards ahead. Purser Fenwick said he was lying dressed in the saloon when the ship struck He did not go to his cabin because he felt a little nervous and hit cabin was right in the bows, and he preferred to lie down in the saloon. Jas. Graves, seaman, said he was on the look-out from 10 to 12, but could not see a ship's length. Towards midnight it was very thick and he believed the vessel was going at full speed. Captain Johnston states that five more bodies have been recovered and buried. It wa9 expected that the north-west wind would bring ashore a number of bodies in the vicinity of the wreck. What are thought to be two bodies have been seen floating in the saloon, and an attempt will be made to recover them. Tbe body of a man was also seen floating iii a cave adjacent to the wreck, but in an inaccessible place. In all 74 bodies have been recovered up to date. A body recovered some days ago, and identified as that of Bird, has now been pretty conclusively proved to be that of M. Anderson, a Westport miner, while another body has been identified as that of Bird. Before the wreck is left it is to bo blown up, and for this purpose a case of dynamite was taken down by the Argyle on her last trip to the Great Barrier. It is expected that when the deck is blown away by dynamite, a number of bodies will bo released. This Day. Pilot Santy said his first experience of the current mentioned was in 1870 when coming.from Sydney in the brig Siren. When he expected to be off the Hen and Chickens he found himself at tbe Great Barrier.