AOTEA WRECKED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1811, 18 July 1906, Page 2

AOTEA WRECKED.

ALL ON BOARD DROWNED.

crxnrTi BODIES OF CAPTAIN AND MRS NICHOLAS FOUND.

Very sad news reached us from Woipito Buy yoeterday morning, to the effect that the well known schooner Aotea had been wreckod, and worse still, that all aboard had been drowned, including one of the best known traders along the Coast, Captain Nicholas, and his wife and one or more children ; Mr Norman Tausley and others well known along tho Coast. Captain Nicholas only took over command of the schooner about a fortnight ago at Auckland. The vessel was shelter-

ing under TawhiSi Hill on Sunday and Monday, but the weather set in bad in that quarter, and as night fell there was considerable anxiety for the sohooner, which was in oompany with a small etoamer, also sheltering. When day broke yesterday the Aotea was found to be lying bottom upwards in the Waikawa creek, the beach boing strewn with wreckage. The steamer is supposed io have proceeded further. People soon set out to ascertain if there

was any hope of saving life. At first theio wbb no tr-ioo of anyone, but a few hours later tho body of Captain Nicholas was found.

The search was diligently continued, and about 1.30 tbo body of Mrs Nicholas was found nosr where that of her husband had been washed up. A Press Association message from Auokland gives tho following-crew:—

Captain, J. Nicholas Mate, E. Hargraves Seamen—J. Iversen, A. OoDeltts, A, Bagley, D. Darrell, N. Tausley, and J. Oole.

There were also on board the oaptain’s wife, and it is believed two of the ohildron.

Norman Tansley is a well-known Gisborne youth, son of Mr P. Tansley. He was a very promising lad. All tho orew, excepting J. Colo, had reoently joined the boat with Captain Nicholas, who had taken the vessel over from Captain Brown. The Aotea went ashore at Waipiro a few months ago. It was intended at low tide last evening to break open tho bottom of tho boat to sesroh for the bodies, but no information was obtainable from Waipiro last night.

Tho report that a lady passenger joined at Tuparoa for Gisborne and is a wellknown resident, had not been confirmed last night, but there seeme every reason to believe that the report is cerreot.

VALUE OP THE VESSEL. tiiiL. hlj PRESS ASSOCIATION Auckland, last night. The Aotea, which was an auxiliary oil schooner of 89 tons nett register, was built at Whangaroa twelve years age, and has been employed in the Coastal trade since that time. Her cargo cn the present trip consisted of 112,000 feet of limber and n large quantity of general merchandise. She is owned by several residents of Auckland district, Captain Skinner (master of tho schooner Kaeo) being managing owner. She io valued at ahout £2OOO, and the only insurance is £6OO in the Alliaooo. Of the nine members of the ship’s oompany, no fewer than seven, in« oludiDg the captain and mate, were making their first trip in tho vessel, tho engineer, who was making hia seoond trip, and Cole, ordinary seaman, being the only one who had been on the ship for any longth of time.