THE KIA ORA WRECK.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 326, 16 August 1907, Page 3

THE KIA ORA WRECK.

(to the editor.) Sib, —Wo have all read with interest the enquiry held in Auckland, and « nuia* state my opinion bow, as I have thought, so much about the wreck thet 1 can’t withhold my idea any longer. Captain Edwin, a recognised authority, stated that there would be a set in shore. I have found a heavy set at Tirua Point. Again, Captain Williamson noticed a compass deviation, and said that from Waitara to Marokopa (o, long way to the eastward of the Eia ra’s courite), if he had steered h e usual course the Kotahi would also have beeu wrecked on the coast half way to Marokopa. The Kia Ora wreck was caused by a com pars deviation cu a night too dark to see the coast outline. This is the truth and no amount of argument can shift my belief in this. Poor Captain Blacklock was a friend of mine and methinks I can see him camo on deck and then lay down again, trua.ing m that magnetic needle, which afterwards caused his death.—Yours, etc , ♦ RETIRED SAILOR.

(to the editor.) Sir, —1, with •• Justice,” t hink it is most unfair to the crew of the ill-fated Kia Ora that matters stand as they do, for undoubtedly the public have notjheard of the many brave deeds pei formed by members of the crew. There is no doubt whatever that all the crew did their duty and sometimes at the risk of their own lives. The vessel struck and then went over to the port side, 6he was practically on hr bo am ends and rolled about several liu.es’, it is nothing less than a miracle that al! the crew who were launching the life boat ; t this time were not thrown overt os:rd Still al! stuck to their posts. V- h.le this work was going on the stewards were getting the passengers on deck and getting life belts for the pas sengers. This uas done hip deep in water, for it is reported tl,;<t 'hj water rone very fast in the saloon. The captain about that time ordered coff-e for all hands, and the stewards got it while wu’st deep in water Not one of them complained ; they all did their duty, though each rcalisocl the danger from the very first. The boat sank with 34 passengers and crew, only seven adults and two children being in the boat at the time.

Of these seven adults there were three members of the crew (the chief officer and two sailors) the others being the women. Those who were engaged launching the raft from the top of tho aft s m deck included the second officer, first and second engineers and two sailors, ail of whom were more or lets hurt when the vets'l foundered stern first. The iait was cut free but floated away by itself, tne crew being taken down by the suction, it speaks • itself when 25 persons are left in the water at 3 o’clock on a rainy morning for only three to bo drowned, and 1 say that excellent work kaust have bion done by some persons. The chief steward, win was not n ar the rufi, was the fiist to gain it, he chanced to come across it whilst swimming tor the light in the boat. Taking out an oar he paddled for those in the water and called out to them to keep up and not get excited, and that he was bringing the raft. 1 he raft finally had e'even on it, including the passenger with the broken leg, whilst the boat also picked up 11, there is no doubt that great work was done at this time, but no endit ha« been given. It was not while all were ashore that the danger was, but when the vessel sank. The crew as well as tho passengers v. ere in the water, and all the passengois had life belts on. The same cannot be said of the crew ; all had not time to put them on for they were ordered to the boats and did not get an opportunity to return for u life belt or any of their belongings. On arriving on shore the only members of the crew who had boots on were the chief engineer and the first and second officers, and as the last named was crippled the other two were the only ones Ct to travel, notwit withstanding tho fact that Baggstrom was hanging on to a piece of wreckage for 2i hours. Probably if some of the passengers had been similarly situated they too would have looked washed oUt. 1 th: ix both Baggstrom and De Wolfe deserve vary great cr< .it for netting out for assistance, as had they not done so the news of the wreck would not have been known for another 2k hours. All know the roads they traversed and I think they did splendidly—the engineer had been 2A hours in the water besiding sitting with water up to his hips cm the raft for three hours longer. Four of the crew were holding on to some wreckage and when the boat came to take them off the officer-in-charge was asked to go and pick up the others jas they could hang on till that was done. As a matter of fact the boat did not see these men again until just before daylight, when the boat picked up the raft, which had taken Baggstrom and the others on to the raft about 5,30 a.m. These are only some of the many brave deeds performed by the crew, and it seems hardly likely on the face of this that any member of the crew would stand by and see a woman or child ill trecved on the beach when all were safe ashore. As for the ateward : All on the raft have admitted that he was the means of saving their lives. He gteered the raft through the surf and finally got ashore with the line, after the three oars had been lost in the surf, lie was also first on the raft and lost no time in rescuing those in the water, having to paddle some distance to get to them. These people are dose, .ing of praise instead of abuse. At the enquiry a pas.- ;ger swore several things which he wai allowed to alter when next in t. e box. Amongst them may be quoted the statement that the steward filled and setyed thn e oott’e J of wiii-ky, Now, the steward, De Wolfe and Baggstrom A weir positively that no such thing occurred -This same passer.ger sm-I that, Dr iley did I noHiing when h<. arriv< d on tho beach ; the I doctor flworo that he did all that he could under the circumstances. 1 he court seemed satisfied (hat He'dorter did al! ho could, therefore it di«l not i ■ ■ v<- ti.o passenger. Captain Ncrbun . u f the Rarawa also satisfied the court tint he did all h: possibly could in landing i’<•!, etc, t-i th.- surti vors. Yet On the I; of ti.H t he same piissengei’s story about t c whisky racket and blanket filmin' ss seems to hold good. 1 supi ore if tbe doctor had been in the stewards place he wuohi have b< t-u believed, but as it is the court soys •• deliberate perjury, wufl committed Lv either ( avnnugh o£*«lerson, De Wolfe and Baggstrom.” J-*tfnnot understand this. 1 hreu pasneirgcrs w ere usleep in ■qkinn, quo within Bit of the bur. All

I were awake at 10 SO p.m., and all three asserted that no one came to the bar but Cavanagh, Forbes ami Partridge, three passengers. All were awake until XI o’clock. Yet t Cavanagh swore that at 10.80 p.m. De s Wolfe and Baggstrom bi ought three empty bottles and got them filled with whisky. II- sworu he saw the steward fill the bottles 'rimajirhe got from the bar. He was then invited to have a drink with them ; he and De Wolfe had whiiky ; Baggstrom had a drink but ho did not kuow what it was. The steward served them with the drink They took the whisky away and he followed I them on deck. All this was published in the daily payors Two or three days later he again en’tred the Witness box, but this r time said : *•’ He would Jnot swear he saw ’ the bottles brought down, He saw the steward take th j jar from his room. (Of course he hud since heard the steward state 1 in evidence that it was kept there.! He - bad a drink from tbo bottle in Do Wolfe’s right hand, Baggstrom and De Wolfe had no drink and the steward was not there i (-'till he maintained he saw the bottle-' ' filled). He did not know what became of i the steward after he filled the bottles. He was not there when Dj M olfo gave witness • ti'c drink. He would not swear he saw the l-ot'les taken away.” Now, is this fair after Lii former evidence had been published. I l'e magistrate allowed him to alter his evidence, which he did when bowled out by M Earl (Do Woffe’s solicitor). Baggstrom w s >een in his bunk at 10.30 p.m by both t-e sec< nd mate and second engineer. The f-«eo id mate’s evidence was believed 'conJ corning his watch on deck, and why not on this po nt.' ft appears to me whore dr.nk uppos.’d to be concerned no evidence in the world is any use agiinst it—at least it was so in this case. The steward was u witness for the Crown, and his sworn evidence WP3 not credited against Cavanagh’s uu sworu statement. Cavanagh was the only witness who Baid anything about the three bottles of whisky. All the pus’.vngers who I - leptin the saloon said Cavanagh, ForbsB and Partridge weie all who were served at the bar; two officers awoie that Baggstrom was in his bunk at the time, thus Cavanagh ler m-is alone against eight persons. Cavanagh could not toll the court what Haggst'om was dressed in—ho did not know if he was fully dressed or in hlis pyjamere. The same of De Wolfe. He did not know anything. Not very| strange consi luring the number of drinks ho admitted having had at Waitara the day be-sailed—l 4 per ter gaffs and three whiskies A terrible injustice has been done to the ere y in general of tbe Kia Ora, and no doubt in time tho truth will come out. At any rtt', the caso ought not be let drop as it is, for whoever has sworn falsely about this whisky oujht to be brought to justice. H would only be fair to the innocent.—Y» urs,

etc., MO’.E JUSTICE.