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Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1671, 12 December 1873, Page 2

Captain Calder, of the p s. Omeo, notifies his intention of being off Gr«yinouth tomorrow at noon. Intending passengers will therefore require to be in readiness. The p.s. Lioness arrived from Hokitika yesterday afternoon, and imme liatey commenced taking in a cargo of coal. She may -leave on her return trip during the night, but it is probable she will wait until 2 p.m. today. The ss. Murray, Palmer master, from Nelson, Westport, and Hokitika. crossed the bar at 3.30 p.m. yesterday. She leaves today for the North. - The schooner Tauranga, Urquhart master, from Punedin and Wanganui, arrived in the roadstead on Wednesday night.- r «* l d-was towed to the yrhstxS-'by-Tine'p.h. Dispatch on yeajerd»y'a^cKle- She brings a cargo of -^--general merchandise, a considerable portion of which is spirits under bond. Late papers from Fiji state that four of the men belonging to the barque Rotumah had arrived from Loma Loma by a small cutter, bringing the intelligence of the vessel's total loss at Vatoa Island. The barque Rotumah, 282 tons, Robertson, master and part owner, left Sydney in July last, for a trading cruise amongst the South Pea Islands. She sailed for Fiji on October 20, in company with the schooner Tafahau, which was bound for Sydney. The first part of the night of the 21st was very dark, with a good trade-wind blowing, and the vessel doing well. About ten o'clock the order was given to " bout ship," the barque being then near to reef, but in attempting to come round she missed stays, and was carried by a very strong current on the reef. One boat was lost, but the remaining one was cleared, and at daylight on the 22nd the passengers and crew left the wreck for Vatoa Island. On the 23rd the boat returned to the wreck and recovered the second boat which had been washed npon the reef. 'The crew also saved what things they could, and that were of any use, but upon examining the vessel they found that she was a total wreck' and abandoned her as such. She has completely broken up. They then remained on the island until the 29th, on the morning of which the four men started in one of the. boats for Lakeba, where they arrived in safety. The party left eleven of the ship's company on Vatoa Island, including two ladies and a little boy, passengers through from Sydney. They were all well. The ladies, Mrs Roberton, the captain's wife, and a Mrs Clarke. The vessel had a cargo consisting of about 80 tons of copra, 20 tuns of oil, a few bales of fungus, and 3000 cocoanuts. She was bound to Kadavu, whence she was to sail for Sydney. heßotamah was insured. Early on Thursday morning, H.B.M. schooner Alacrity left for Vatoa Island in order to render what assistance she could to the castaways.