THE TARARUA DISASTER.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2243, 6 May 1881, Page 3

THE TARARUA DISASTER.

On Sunday next the incumbent and churchwardens of St. John's Church have agreed to make a collection in aid of those who are sufferers by the wreck of the Tararua. The offortory on that occasion will bo divided as the vestry think desirable among those whose claims are most pressing and urgent. Special sermons will be preaohed. At the concert given last evening by the Sydenham Amateur Musical Society, Mr Joyoe, one of the vice-preßidents of the society, announced that it was their intention to give a concert at the Oddfellow*' Hall, Lichfield street, during the ensuing week, the proceeds of which will be devoted to the fund in aid of the widows and orphans of the lost passengers by the Tararua. One of the resoued from death in the Tararua disaster—Mr George Wiltshire—was an old Wellington resident, and formerly kept the Traveller's Best Hotel, at the Taita. Wo are indebted to the Bcv. P. W. Fairclough, Wesleyan Minister, for the following telegram forwarded from Wyndham yesterday THE STORY OF FRANK DENZ, SEAMAN. I married in Auckland two years and a-half ago. We had one child, fifteen months old. I persuaded my wife to visit Melbourne, and the company let me take her at halt-price. When she came on board, Captain Garrard came forward and said to her, " I'll give you the other half of the fare, and you can buy a now dross with it." Poor girl, she never got it. When we got to Port Chalmers, my wife and Mary Kelly went to Dunedin. I warned them carofully to oome by the 3 o'clock train. I wish to the Lord I had told them 6 o'clock. The man who had been at tho wheel before me relievod mo for a few minutes to get some coffee. I took the coffee, and came out to drink it just as the ship struck. She was full almost at once. My wife, Mary Kelly, and another woman clung to mo naked. The back wash of tho sea that broke over oarried us right aft. The women all screamed at first, but wero soon brave, and believed us when we said there was no danger. They were put in the smoke-house and oovered. I put a rug and my jaoket on my wife. Mary Kelly would not go into the house, but helped with the ropes and seemed to wish to encourage the men, but they were not afraid. They made the same noise as ever. You would have thought to hear them swear that they could not sink. I was not more afraid than the rest, but the wife kept clinging to me, and that made me weak. The captain was cross, and scolded me, but I could not push her away at such a time. I wish to God I had taken my chum's advice, and put her and the ohild in the second mate's boat, then I would not have to look for them on the beach. When the carpenter was ordered out of tho boat for the mate to take charge, be said, " Thank God, I'm safe." The ship was the safest plaoe then. If the wind had not oome up she would have been there yet. The men complained of one of the hands in the boat. Ho was afraid of getting wet, and kept looking for the sea and missing his stroke. The captain had him hoisted out, and he also said, " Praise God, I'm out of her." I was ordered to take his plaoe. I was crying, as I could not bear leaving the wife and child. The captain was not cross then. He per* suaded and held out bis arms for the child. I gave her to him, and said, " Now, captain, you'll look after her, won't you?" He said, "Yes Frank, I will; be surefof that." I tied the baby's hood on. This is it (holding up a little blue hood). I found it on the beach. I tied this shawl (holding it up) round the wife, and lashed it on with two manilla yarns. See how it's torn with washing off. That's all that is left to me now. I wouldn't take £SO for those two things. I had £l9 and a watoh. I gave them to her to make her feel safe, and so that she would have something if I was drowned, She cried out to the other woman, " Don't be afraid, Frank will save us ; he's going in the boat." She thought I could do anything, poor girl. I think I hear her now. One boat was 24ft long, but it upset end over end, and not sideways. That will show you how the | sea was. We all got ashore but the boy who cleaned the brass on the ship. Just before we upset the poor chap said, "I believe it's through me the veasel struck, for I'm very unluoky." I daresay those on board thought it very hard that we didn't oome back, but they saw the fix we were in. I would have gone baok to the wife if I had been sure of being lost. Perhaps I would not now ; but all that day I would. I never prayed so much in my life before. I prayed tor help, and then ran again and again to the point to see if there was a steamer coming from the Bluff. I saw when the sea broke away the side of the smoke-house, and saw the captain lead the women forward. He had my little girl in his arms. When the oook came ashore he told me that Mary Kelly was washed off at the same time as himself. He did his best to save her, but oould not. Dr. Campbell, who was setting the engineer's leg, was washed off at the same time. Long before dark all the women were drowned, and all the children but my child. The captain was in the rigging holding her. There were about forty men in the rigging, I kept my eye on them as it grew darker. The last thing I saw was the captain holding my little girl. I'm sure he died with her in his arms, but he could not save her. " No, it was not to be; it wasn't to be," and playing with the little blue hood, he sobbed audibly. DUNEDIN, May 5.

The bodies lately washed ashore from the wreck are decomposed and unrecognisable. They will be buried at once.