SHIPPING DISASTER.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1922, Page 3

SHIPPING DISASTER.

S.S. WILTSHIRE WRECKED

j ON HARRIED ISLAND. (Press Association.— Extraordinary) ! WELLINGTON, June I. Tin- Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department received the following telegrams from radio Auckland, at 11.11 p.m : • The following was received from S.S. Wiltshire: Heavy list to starboard, sixteen feet of water in No 1 hold. Dancer imminent and serious. She is listing more. more. 11.12 p.m.. S.S. Wiltshire hound from Panama to Auckland sends out 5.0.5.. Gone ashore on Barrier Reef. ! 11.35 p.m.—Send Assistance at once, in grave danger. The Katun and Arahura started at mid-night to assist the Wiltshire. Ihe former was twenty-five miles and the latter ninety miles distant. 12.10 a.ai.—Wiltshire advises: Captain says lie is not sure. It is too dark to know, hot lie thinks lie is on the south end of Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf, about 70 miles from Auckland. 12.12 a.m. from S.S. Tasmania. — lie are proceeding to the wrecked V iltsliire. Barrier Island is distant three hundred miles from him. 12.2(5 a.in. from Wiltshire: —“Nos 1 and 2 holds are full of water. Shin vorv exposed to gale. 12.30 a.m.— Dundabi advises proceeding south of Barrier Island, distant eighty miles.

A DESPERATE POSITION. * WELLINGTON, June I

The Secretary of the General Post Office ie.is received the following from Auckland radio station this morning regarding the Wilshire. At 10.10 a.m.— In communication with Arahura. and Kntoa. Wiltshire’s holds full of water and in a pi-eltv hail way. A further message at 10.15 reported the position to he worse and desperate. The steamer Wiltshire belong* to Loudon and is one of the Shire Lino Elect. She is of 7800 tons register and lias 04! registered horse power.

A DESPERATE POSITION. WELLINGTON. June 1. Earlier wireless messages-received by G.P.O. are as follows:

1.38 a.m. Following from Wiltshire: “Vorv hadlv on shore. Nos 1 and 2 holds' full of water. Vessel knocking about heavily. Immediate assistance required to save life. \ erv thick weather. The ship is on the southern end of Great Barrier Island. Several steamers, coming are too far off for reply. What are you doing?’’

At 4.4 a.m. —-The Wiltshire advised: “Nos 1. 2. 3. and I holds now full of water. Other part of the ship dry. If weather moderates might save cargo in after hold.*’ At .■».;> ji.ti*. —“l’par ship "ill now Ik* total wreck. There is a terrific sea. Only liopo of saving lito is for all to remain mi hoard until the weather moderates. as no lifeboat could live.” At (I.MI a.m. .“Arahura advises in position off tun 1,, too lnucli sea. to attempt any rescue work.” ,\t !).20 a.m. Kntoa reports:—“ln Port Trvphcna. Have sent party overland.” A FORMER DISASTER. The S.S. Wnirarapa was wrecked on the Great Barrier Island on Get. 28th. 1894. when 135 lives were lost. SHIPPING CONJECTURE. AUCKLAND, June 1. The opinion of shipping men is that the Wiltshire was looking tor the light on Cuvier Island which lies twenty-one miles east of Cape Colville, and about a similar distance' from the south end of Great Barrier Island. The southern entrance, between (treat Barrier anil Colville, is the one usually taken by vessels coming from Panama. The light on Cuvier is a powerful revolving light, showing every halt minute, and is visible twenty-six miles. In the weather that the inward hound ship experienced, the range would h * nothing like this, and last night was particularly a black one at the time the Wiltshire went ashore. FURTHER NEWS. WELLINGTON, June I. The Secretary of the General Post. Office has received the following from the Chief Postmaster. Auckland:— “Postmaster at Trvphcna states Wiltshire ashore about four miles from there. The sea is still rough and weather extremely boisterous. Have just spoken to .MrWalsh, and if wind moderates, In- will send seaplane to see if there is any possibility of getting a line to the steamer. The distance the vessel from the shore, however, mr,,- he too far to enable this to ho done.” 90 OFFICERS AND MEN. NO PASSENGERS. AUCKLAND, June 1. The Wiltshire ran ashore at the south end of Great Barrier Island, while trying to make port on the vova(re from Liverpool. She is commanded by Captain It. Hayward, the Company’s Commodore and carried ninety officers and men. There are no passengers. It was a dirty, black night when the vessel struck at Rosalie Bay, about three miles north of the extreme southern end of the Barrier, which at this point is one of the rockiest and wildest of the Gulf Islands. BROKEN IN TWO. WELLINGTON. June 1. The Secretary of the post office lias received the following tjom Auckland:— Katoa .reports ai 1.30, that the Wiltshire has broken in halves.

A later message states the \\ iltshire is cast of Rosalie Bay in a very wild spot with inaccessible rlills. The steamer has broken in two. The stern lias disappeared. The crew appear to he on the forward half, which is still on the rocks. There is no chance of rescue except hv line as a heavy sea is running.