WRECK OF A STEAMER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2107, 15 June 1907, Page 2

WRECK OF A STEAMER.

THREE LIVES LOST.

Press Association AUCKLAND, Thursday. The following message was recei d sengers (Forbes and Ross) weic <h "There are 27 survivors stranded on the coast, some distance from any se tl< At e a4o the followin'! message,was received from Constable AlcCax thy • "Have received word that the Kia Ora lias been wrecked 20 m e beyond Kawhia, on a very rough an I inaccessible coast. Two passengers (Forbes and Ross) are reported to have been drowned. Ross is saitl to belong to Hawera. There are zi survivors ashore, and they are witnout food or shelter. The settlers have gone to their assistance with iood. The sea is too rough for a boat to leave Kawbia. Constable McCarthy is leaving for the scene. The track is through rough and broken country. Later.—The s.s. Kia Ora was on her way to Kawbia from Waitara, and struck near Turua Point, about 30 miles distant, between. Kawbia and the Molcau, about 3 o’clock this morning. The information is meagro, and comes from Kawhia by telephone. The vessel, it is stated, immediately sank. The weather was not rough, but there was an unusually heavy fog. Captain Hlackloc’k and two Forbes and Ross, both believed to belong to Hawera, were drowned, the captain going down with his ship. There are about 27 survivors, a dozen being passengers, all for Kawhia and Raglan. The place is four miles from the. nearest settler’s house, and a most inaccessible and desolate spot. The settlers have gone down with provisions, but will not. get there till daylight to-morrow morning. In the meantime the shipwrecked people will lie without food or shelter. A constable from Kawhia and party are going to the spot to-morrow. There is one sea-going boat now at Kawhia, but she is only a small vessel, and could not possibly make the least. This boat arrived at Kawhia i this afternoon, and called at a place hod far distant from where the wreck lias occurred, but did not see anything. The only hope the survivors have is overland.

NAMES OF THE'CREW. AUCKLAND, yesterday. Captain Blacklock, master of the Kia Ora, was a married man, aged 35 years. He leaves a wife and three children. The names of the officers and crew are: C.B. deWolfe, first mate; James Robertson, second mate; E. L. Baggstrom, chief engineer : H. Lister, second engineer; W. Hodgson, W. Dunning. W. Svmes. fiiemen; F. Martenson. Thos. Chambers, A. Ander, J. H. Morris, and D. Forbes, A.B.’s; J. A. Peterson, chief steward; W. J. Haynes, assistant steward; W. Johnston, cadet steward ; A. J. Keller, stewardess; R. Betts, cook; J. Delcamer, cook’s boy. The Rarawa, after rescue of the survivors, returns to New Plymouth. The news of the Kia Ora wreck was sent*'by a man who rode thirty-five miles to the nearest telephone station. The latest news to .the effect that the survivors are having a very bad time in an exposed situation, without food or clothing. A relief party, including Constable McCarthy and Dr. Jenkins, left Kawhia this morning for the scene with food, clothing, and restoratives The Forbes drowned is believed to be a sou of ex-Sergeant Forbes, and is well-known in Auckland.

The s.s. Kia Ora was uninsured, except in the company’s own funds. The cargo was a valuable one. and includes flax valued at £SOO, from Kavkia.

A DOCTOR DESPATCHED. NEW PLYMOUTH, yesterday. The Northern Company’s s.s. Rarawa, after landing her passengers at the breakwater this morning, left again at 6 o’clock for the scene of the wteck of the Kia Ora taking Dr. Wylie.

MEASURES FOR RELIEF. DESCRIPTION OF THE CALAMITY. SUPPOSED FURTHER LOSS OF LIFE.

NEAV PLYMOUTH, last night.

The-Rarawa arrived here this morning, and left immediately for the scene of the wreck. ' She arrived off Turua Point after a five hours’ sail. Only a small piece of wreckage was sighted. The Kia Ora ran on a reef about one mile off the shore, and sank in 20 minutes. The second officer was on watch at the time of the jnishan. Tlie~~women and children wjere got off safely in the first lifeboat, but the port boat was smashed to atoms when launched. The crew and the male passengers took refuge wherever possible. The steamer, commencing, gradually to slip back off the reef on to which she had sailed, suddenly parted amidships. Nearly everyone was thrown or washed .overboard. A raft released itself, and on this 11 crowded. Six made their way to the boat. The captain was standing by the funnel with the firemen and seamen before the final break-up. He accepted a lifebelt from a fireman named Symes. He said “Good-bye,” and-was not seen again. The boat and raft jointly effected a landing five miles south of the wreck, matches and tabloid food being found intact in the sealed packages on the boat and. raft. Food from the Marakopo settlers reached the survivors at 3 o’clock this morning, and by daylight all made their way along the coast through heavv scrub to a Maori settler, where the majority arrived just as the Rarawa anchored. A boat effected a landin'- with a doctor through the surf under great difficulty. They found one passenger’s leg broken, who was picked up by the raft and carried with great difficulty. Several sustained minor'injuries. * All were attended to by Dr. Wylie. Extreme difficult-” was experienced in relauncliing the lifeboat. Nine of the strongest of the crew were broughtaboard the Rarawa and brought to New Plymouth, which was reached at 9 o’clock. The survivors on shore are being kindly attended to by settlers, and are in no immediate danger. A heavy swell coming up prevented further, attempts to land being made. All the crew except the captain are safe, but no authentic news can be got regarding the names of passengers. JThe second steward says there were 35 aboard, and ouly 27 are accounted for. In that case eight are misting, but tliero is a possibility that some of these may have made the shore at other points.