WRECK OF THE LASTINGHAM.

Kumara Times, Issue 2562, 8 September 1884, Page 2

WRECK OF THE LASTINGHAM.

INQUIRY INTO LOSS OP VESSEL.

[united peess association,] Wellington, September 6,

Ad inquiry into the circumstances attending the wreck of the ship Lastingham was held to-day by H. S. Wardell, R.M., and Captains Vaustone and Grant, Nautical Assessors : Mr Izard appeared for the Collector of Customs, and Mr Fitz Gerald attended on behalf of the owners of the vessel.

The first witness examitned was John Neale, officer of the Lastingham, who deposed that he held a master’s certificate. The vessel was ship-rigged, and belonged to the port of London, and contained general cargo. She was properly found. She carried a crew of 26 all told, and with the captain’s wife and five passengers (one saloon and the others steerage), there were 32 souls on board at the time of the wreck. Nothing of importance occurred on the voyage until Mount Egmont was sighted at about 8 a.m. on the morning of Monday. The weather was fine at that time, and a stiff breeze was blowing. On sighting Kapiti at noon, the vessel was going at about eleven knots. Canvas was then reduced, and at three in the afternoon tire only sails set were two lower topsails and a foretopmast staysail. The captain was on deck all day. He had been there from the previous night. The wind freshened up at three o’clock, and a moderate gale was blowing. Soon afterwards and till a quarter-past eight, the vessel was hove to. The patent log showed that between three and six o’clock the vessel had only gone two miles. At BTS witness saw land on the lee quarter, distant about a mile. At that hour the captain ordered the crew to make sail, which was done as soon as possible. The vessel continued on her course for about half or three-quarters of an hour after land was observed. At the expiration of that time the watch sang out “ Land ahead.” He (witness) saw land right ahead, and also on the weather bow, distant about two miles. Captain Morrison then gave orders to wear ship, and she stood on the starboard tack. They then got close to land again, and tried to wear the vessel again. While in the act of wearing she struck stern on. At this time all bands were on deck, some of them being engaged in squaring the yards. The ship remained stern on for about five minutes, and then canted broadside on to the sea. She remained broadside on for an hour, and after the masts went she broke up and disappeared. He was aft when she struck, and went forward within five minutes. The captain was then on the poop, and he went to him to get orders. The captain said something which witness could not recollect. It was something to this effect. This is a bad job; every one will have to look out for himself. The captain remained on deck. The vessel was right against the rocks. Witness got to land by jumping over the bow. Two others followed Donaldson and Munro. The bow of the vessel must have gone into the rocks. Nine of the crew had previously got ashore in the same manner. Half a minute after he got on shore the vessel canted broadside on. Two men got ashore after he did, some jumpover and others being washed ashore. All the passengers were on deck when the vessel struck. All those on board could have escaped by getting over the bow just after she struck. Fourteen of the crew were saved out of 26. Ward left the others on Tuesday morning to look out for assistance, and Chalmers and Alvarez left on Thursday with the same object. They were not seen afterwards. A piece of pork and a little oatmeal were the only provisions which they had during the time they were on land. They were not seeking shelter before the vessel went on shore.

Other witnesses corroborated this statement.

The Chairman said: “We believe that the whole of the facts necessary to arrive at a decision are before us, and we arrive at the conclusion that there was an error of judgment on the part of the master which has led to the disaster—an error of judgment in keeping upon the western tack too long. He should have tried to run through the Strait. This error was his, and not an error for which the chief officer is any way responsible. We will put our finding into proper form, and submit it to his Excellency the Governor for confirmation. "We may say at once that there is no reason to believe there was any error on the part of the chief officers before the Court • that so far as the officers before the Court are con-, cerned, they did all that could be expected of them, We feel called upon

to make a further remark, because it has to a certain extent gone to the public, that several vessels appear to have been observant of the signals of distress made on the coast. We realise that signals of distress made under the circumstances by men standing on the shore, backed up by the forest, would be very unlikely to attract attention on board a vessel a mile or more off; and we have no reason to suppose that there has been anything like negligence on the part of those on board. The men were under a disadvantage in not having the means to make a fire, and we have no reason to suppose that there is anything in the approaching negligence on the part of those vessels which were said to have passed during the time the men were on the shore.

A touching incident is described by Grove, A. 8., who says: Before I left the vessel I went below to ask the captain’s advice. The captain was seated at the cabin table with his arm round his wife’s waist. They were both up to their bodies in water. The captain did not answer.

The Argus this morning states that—“ Whet; the s.s. Maori was on her way here last trip she passed quite close to Jackson Head (where the wreck occurred), and one of those on board pointed to some men grouped on shore. The chief officer said he thought they must be surveyors, and attached no importance to it. There was no sign of any wreck; but something in the shape of a tent appeared to be rigged. It is apparent from this that the shipwrecked sailors were more easily disernible than the nautical assessors at the inquiry thought was possible, owing to the dark back-ground of bush.”