The s.s. Kia Ora

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 316, 14 June 1907, Page 2

The s.s. Kia Ora

WRECKED OFF TIRUA POINT Founders In Fifteen Minutes.

Captain Blacklock and Two Passengers Missing.

Survivors Arrive in Kawhia.

The morning of Thursday last was ’ dark with fog, and the non-arrival of the s-s. Kia Ora at due time caused no uneasiness to those looking out for her. As the morning wore away the fog lifted occasicaally, and between II a.m. and 12 was heard the s.s Rothesay’s whistle as she came up the harbour on her return trip from , Marokopa. Captain Roberts reported I that, the weft,th r was thick outside, the sea smooth bat ‘making up.’ Com ng ftqm Marokopa he hugged the ' lar d and s > had no difficulty in finding tho ontyauoe «o .the harbour. He thought it hkei.y that the Kia Ora had put out to sen rind was waiting for the fug to lift ■. that it might be thicker farther on\ A wire to Waiters brought con tip mation of the marine telegram adv \i.ig that the Kia Ora left that port.at 9.30 p.m. of Wednesday. As the day passed the mists > cleared to some extent so that it would be quite possible for (be steamer to reach the port hacks’! been well with her. Many conjectures as to the causes of the delay passed amongst tbo groups of Kawhiaites interested in her arrival—a break down in the machinery was the favourite hypothesis, but great confidence was expressed in the ultimate safely (pf the vessel in the bands of such men as Captain Black*" lock and Engineer Baggatrom. At 9 1 p.m., howeyer, this confidence receiyed a rude shock. Two telephone messages were received by Mr Langley and Constable McCarthy from Mr P. C. Rose, sent by messenger from Marokopa to Te Maika bureau “ To Mr A- E. Langley, Agent N.S.S. Co., Kawbia.—Kia Ora wrecked Mangunu, Capt. Blacklock, Forbes and Ross drowned. Twenty - seven survivors. All naked and no tucker. Am leaving immediately for wreck with Willison who taken three horses tucker and rugs.—P. C. Rose.” Constable M'Carthy’s message was to a similar effect. There was an immediate adjournment made to the telephone office and it was not long before cammunioation was obtained with Auckland. Constable McCarthy was soon speaking to the police head quarters but Mr Ransom was away from his house, and it was not until nearly elevon, and after Mr Langley had asked the reporters in the Herald office to find him, that he came to the telephone, Mr Ransom at once instructed Mi Langley to do what was possible with the Rothesay and that he would send the s.s, Rarawa to the-scene of the wreck as quickly as possible. Meantime Constable M'Carthy and Dr. Jenkins and Messrs Crotty and Holmes determined to start for Nukuhakari without delay and engaged a launch to take them to Te Maika aud to Kinohaku respeo- | tively——-two of them to go by the sea coast and two via Kinohaku. The night was rainy and very dark and there was little hope of either party getting far on' such tracks as , they would have to travel over. However no time was lost in getting away, and after reqo ; itioning several private i houses, for supplies of spirits to take ' to the unfortunate •survivors of the wrrok the i-arty left Kawbia at 1 p.m. The. following day '• (Friday) was wet and stormy. The Rothesay odnM not leave port, and in 1 the evening T. Roach, from the Marokopa flaxmill, brought, further details, and that'three men from the wreck had reached there. Saturday the weather cleared, bnt the sea was heavy, still preventing-tho Rothesay going ' out. lu the tjfternoon tho three survivors spoken of arrived in Kawbia. j They had to walk a great part of the j way barefooted and with but few f clothes. Eflch of them speak highly 1 of the hospitality met with. At Marokopa (hey wore supplied with food and ' clothes and in Kawbia were met with } proffers of assistance and further snp- j plied with clothes by Messrs Jonathan 1 Ltd. Mr Pratt’s homo is in Kawbia, * Mr Herdson was given a horse to take him ito Raglan by tho Northern Co ’« 1 agent, who also “ made good” Mr | Barraclough at Hotel Moana until tbo arrival of tho s.s, Muritai. The following are tbo personal narratives $ .given, us as tho result of an interview: I v Mr S. Pratt, who was a paraenigev to Kawahia said 1 was in bed 4a the smoking I 3 room when 1 felt a heavy bump, The port [ •

holes flew open. I rushed out on deck. I could see the locks and the land in the distance, about a mile away. There was a shifting fog which enab’cd me to see the land. The first order I heard waa Captain Blacklock tolling the stewards to get coffee for all hands. The stewards came round with life belts and as far as I know all had belts. I went up on the bridge. One boat was smashed up by the bumping of the ref sei. The sailors and stewards were trying to get the other boat and raft away. Mr De Wolfe took charge of the boat. All the women and children were put in before the boat was put into the water. There was only a swell on, the sea being calm. The painter had to be out, which was done by a passenger named Cavanagh, I then went to the bowa 1 could see the steamer was sinking, so jumped into the water and waa taken under by the suction. When I came ' to the surface I saw the boat and swam for it and the stewardess pulled me in. My word she’s a plucky woman. She was in the boat and Mr Saggstrom was ou the sinking vessel and called out for a lifebelt. She coolly took her’s off and threw it to him. We were five hours getting ashore, We picked the raft up and towed it to the breakers and then let go. The raft went to the beach first and we followed. There wm a considerable surf. De Wolfe did not like to take the breakers at first, bat soon follow* d the raft. Mr Herdson. a passenger for Raglan, gave the following narrative:—l was lying in the smoking room when I heard a crash and glass breaking all round, 1 ran o i deck snd looked over t he side and couldfthen see the rock which the steamer was ou. I then went bek to the smoking room co get something when the door became jambed. I tried to open it but could not, and I"thought I w old be drowned like a rat. At last I got »at and ran to the rigging in trout ofthe saloon door, which I grabbed, and re . mained there until the lifebelts were handed round. The vessel was bumping about frightfully, and one boat was smashed. I asked a steward why the boat was not being lowered and he told me there was no need yet. The vessel stopped robing. The next I heard waa the c iptain or-ltr that coffee be served to all hands. It was quickly done Than he ordered that all l*-ie« be brought on deck to where the boat was, and we assisted them, All were very quiet and took •it calmly although they realised the danger. There were only two children. We formed a group round the boat. It seemed to take some time to get it swung out. VI e put the women in, two seamen and Mr De Wolfe, and then lowered it into the water. Just before the boat was lowered ths captain sang out « Hurry up De Wolfe, she's sinking fast,*’ Then I heard De Wolfe call out to cut away the painter. The steamer could then be felt to be sinking. I got down on to the fender and sprang into the water, struck out for the-boat and got in with some difficulty. We waited about the spot and picked up several eff wreckage whilst others swam to the boat. We had a big flare light. When w« haard a call we went to them. There Wm «ot a siign of the steamer, which went down stern fyrat. lam satisfied there was no one floating when we drifted away. We kept the boat’s head to the wind and sea and simply drifted. The captain had on a life buoy and when 1 jumped was on the bridge. We landed at 10 past 8. The women were very brave and there were no grumblings. The stewardess started singing " Home, Sweet., Home,” and many other songs ware sung. When we landed a fire waa lit. One man had his leg broken, another his arm. and Mrs Cox had her face vary badly cut. I and three others started to walk to Kawhia. One could not get past Marokopa. We were treated very kindly. Mr Barroclough, of Hawera, who waa accompanying Mr Forbes te hava a few days’ shooting at Marokopa. said I was in ttm smoke room asleep. The first thing I knew was that I was fired out in the middle ef the floor. The vessel was bumping heavily. I ran on deck. I wi* undressed and went back and dressed. I received a life belt and wont up near the rail by the saloon door. 1 stood there with" other people awaiting orders. 1 did not know at first the extent of thetioubl*,* I then helped the women and carried up some provisions for the boat and after she get away oould see that the steamer was sinking. The stewards and ’’ others coaid not launch the raft. As the vessel rank I jumped into the sea and. was sucked down. Ido not quite recollect what happened until 1 found myself and two others hanging on to three oars. One (Mr Partridge) had a broken leg. They had great difficulty in getting him into the boat, I got ashore on the reft. The Rothesay took aboard a good supply of provisions and about a ton I of cargo, flour snd sundries for Mr Malcolm Shera, and left Kawhia wharf at 4 30 a.m. cn Sunday. Messrs Bell Bros, and Ross had been written 'toliy Mr Langley to have their surf boat ready did not keep the steamer waiting, for although the surf there was heavy they managed to get 1 through safely bringing off Messrs Baggstrom and De Wolfe, who had reached Harihari. About 11 o’clock th? Rothesay arrived off Nukuhakari. Mr D’Arcy Hamilton, jnnr., who knows the place well, impetuously tried to reach shore in the ship's i dingy, but had an^upset; eventually he" managed it. Meaera P. and FBell were soon on the beach with their surf boat, and iu two trips took off al' tho survivors, landed the cargo and took in 80 bags of fungus, all returning to Kawhia about 530 p.w. There waa a great crowd on the wharf and three hearty cheers were given for the . good work done by the Rothesay. When lauded friends were fervently greeted, offers of hospitality extended, whilst some, being ahurt of clothing were taken to Mr Jonathan’s store, where their appearance was soon oom- i pletely -Itered. Dr C. C. Jenkins bad the following cases as under his 'tare : —Mr Lester (2nd engineer), broken bone in right foot, have to lay up five or six ' weeks ; Mrs Cox (an aged lady passenger to Raglan), bad cut in faoe, also wfiesiog from hardship and ex-

posure ; Mr Robinson (eecpnd mate), bruises and other hurts, will probably be tai<l up several weeks ; Mr Partridge (a pa-sengar to Kawhia), leg and two ribs broken ; Mt Baggstrom engineer), severely bruised hip and back, done by tbe rigging as he went down with the ship ; Miss Kellor (stewardess),.suffering from cold and exposure. Speaking of tbe wreck, the officers agree that had ths sea been rough it is very unlikely anyone would nave been saved and nothing would have been known of tbe vessel’s fate until tbe wreckage came ashore. They speak in the yery highest terms of the aisistance brought by the Messrs Willison Bros, (3), Lane (the new manager of tbe Marokopa flaxmiii), Giles Bros, and P. Rose. They assert most positively that by the efforts of these settlers lives were saved. Over steep and slippery tracks, dangerous in daylight, through the dark and rain these men, each leading a pack horse and themselves carrying for part of the way swags weighing 70lbs., struggled to reach the wet, almost naked and starving people. When there with busbmen’s skill they soon had billies boiling the food and covering was distribated and at 7 a.m. c unmeuced to ge : tbe people away. ' After stupendous work they got th?m t : Sheara’s—only five miles to go, but nearly five hours to do. Here they met wkb all the hospitality Mr Shera is noted for House and sheds wsra filled to overflowing and ;best was done that under the circnms&iaeo Could be done Dr Jenkins and ths Kawhia people reached Shera’s after-17 boars on tbe way and did good service.

Thc Rarawa surfed nine of the crew off oi. Friday morning and took them to Onehunga. Owing to awaiting details our is ue is a couple of days’ late.