The Wreck of the Wairarapa.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 125, 22 November 1894, Page 2

The Wreck of the Wairarapa.

THE ENQUIRY. (PKB PRBs.s AS>OCIaTION) Auckland, November 21. Moyes, re-called, said he could not swim. He was the first mate of the Hurunui when she collided with the Waitara in the English Channel, and was commended by the Bench for his behaviour on that occasion. At boat inspection on the Wairarapa the Government Inspector credited them with the ( quickest work in the Union Company's fleet. Every effort was made to get the boats out at the wreck. The captain's boat was rushed only after she was in the water. Witness gave up his lifebelt to a lady and held her baby while she put the belt on. Then a heavy sea washed all three along the alleyway and he never saw them again. He himself was that far gone that he could not get up the ladder to tho captain's cabin. He had to lio down on the hurricane deck to get breath and then crawled to the bridge. Moyes farther said that he and Middlebrook pulled Miss McKeliar out of the water and put her in the rigging. He did not go into the crosstrecs until after the line was got ashore and Miss Flavall was drowned. In the meantime lie had done all he could to get a line across and the passengers ashore. Eventually he went up the rigging becauso ho was physically exhausted and unable to stay longer in the water at the foot of the riggiug. When he got ashore lie was cut, bruised, and exhausted, and had no clothing and no boots. After he got some clothing from the purser he made a lot of sandals out of lifebelts. Made , every effort to communicate with Auckland, but it was blowing too hard. Mr Moyes was asked if anything further could have been done for the passengers after the wreck and witness said no, except trying to boss the pasi sengers on the rocks where everyone was on a level. You can't boss saloon passengers on rocks where you are only for a few hours. We had to assume authority, however, to threaten passengers and carry them to the boats from the rocks, because they were afraid to enter the boats. It was people who weut up the rigging and never got their r feet wet who made all the noise. While in the rigging wo could not assume command, wo could only persuade. It ! was not for want of ordering, but for want of willingness to carry out the orders. Some of the people in the rigging would have liked you to take them t across the rope on your back, so that they would not get their feet wet. The Bench decided to visit the scene of the wreck on Friday. i After the luncheon adjournment, . Clark and Johuston, second and third \ officers, occupied some time in marking ' on tho chart the courses steered on the , Sunday of tho wreck. These charts 1 will have to bo sent to the Board of ' Trade. j Eventually the Court adjourned until i Friday week in order to give time for j the arrival of Southern evidence. A party of police have returned tonight from Great Barrier. They found three more bodies, two men and a boy aged 10 years. One of the men is supposed to bo a fireman from the dress. The bodies were unrecognisable anil were buried.