The Taiaroa Disaster.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1683, 13 April 1886, Page 4

The Taiaroa Disaster.

LATER DETAILS.

(united press association.) Kekerangu, Tuesday. Grant and McQuarter are members of the Torpedo Corps. Hulton for nine years was pilot boatman afc . Lytteltnn. Search parties from Kekerangu and IHaxbourne were out all yesterday. : Up to the present eight bodies have come ashore, three at Woodbank, two being seamen and one apparently the engineer. There is not the slightest probability of any other lives being saved. McQuarter states that there were eleven men m his boat when she left the wreck, but nine died of exhaustion before the boat righted itself last time. Huttbn and McQuarter say the Cantain, after tlie steamer had struck, remarked that he thought he was within five miles of Kaikoura and steering into Half Moon Bay as a matter of fact the steamer was, heading direct for the Clarence Bridge m the mouth of the river. When she struck McQuarter considers there were 50 souls on board all told. The body of a passenger washed ashore had a leg bitten off by a shark. None of the eight bodies have yet been, actually identified, five drowned bodies north of Kekerangu will be brought here to-day to await the inquest.

Wellington, Tuesday. There were eight bags of mails m .the Taiaroa, six from Wellington and two from Nelson. There were five registered letters from Wellington for Government officers and the senders have been advised that the letters were m the Taiaroa. A special search is being made for the mails, and the steamer will be boarded a.B s-.ion as the sea goes down and the mailrooin can be reached.

;- . Blevheim, Mon-lay. The spocial correspondent of the Marlhoroworh Express, reports as follows : — The Tiiaroa suerns to be lying steady with small seas breaking over, ami leaning to seaward. Three men 'swam on hoard this morning anJ rescued a monkey and cat. They obtained dry clothes m the forecastle, and made two warps fast from the tnnst head to the beach. ':■■ *Tlie vessel seem* to have her bottom strive m, but no holes are visible. Messrs Grant and Hutton were found ashore alive near the wreck at six this morn m?, and both passengers are getting on well ; also the bodies of one offictr and two seaman were found there. One boat was smashed on the beach near the wreck, •an-l another is hanging by a line from tie stern bottom upwards. Four miles north of Kekeransn a boat was washed up with one dead body m it, wearing an *~*~ officer's uniform. It is supposed to be that of Mr Stratford, the third engineer. Another body found m the same place . this evening appears to be that of a pas senger. A oassensjer wan found just alive ami was brought here m a drag. H" is recovering fast, but is "'till asleep., and unable to give details. A receipt for a roistered letter found m his pocket' bears the nnirie of McQnarter. Mr Hutton says Ihe steamer struck three times on the open big-bonldered beach, no rof'kn beinsr near. At 7.30 p.m. the paesrtngers and crew were all ordered. in-, to the boats, foarin number, which were fastened to the stern, and remained there until twelve, when they were upset. The sea ; s going down now. A steamer piisged here going south, and sighted the wreck about 6. A later telegram states that three more bodies of seamen have been found between Kekeranga and Flaxbourne.

ChkISTCHOROH, Monday. , TTie^news of the wreck of the Taiaroa excitement here, as several Christfthiirch people were among the jttiKsensers. Tlae flasrs of all shipping at Lvtteltf>n were hoisted at half-mast. A profound sensation was caused m • •porting c ; roles when it became known that Mr F. H. Vallance was a passenger. He had been re-called suddenly to Christolinrfh on urgent business. The steamers WanakH arid Wakatu left about 5 p.m. for the Rcene of the wreck. On the former wore Mr Huajh "Fallancp, brother of fir R. H. Vallancn, and Mr Mirrav, who luid a brother on b"«rd the Taiaroa. Onptsiin TohnHton, of the Wanaka, is v/>rv we'l acqniinted with the locality, l-i vine traded for many years along the coast m the Grafton.

Tlio Taiaroa was valued at about £15,000. The insurances on the com-p-inv he'-e ore not kn<-wn. but the cf>mpiuy ft^a nndersto'td to hnve a very large risk th<mßelvesi The Taiaroa was an iron sf.f.itiier of 438 t"ns eroHS and 250 t>np nett register, and was fitted with engines of 500 h.p. Indicated. The captdin. crow, and passenger* B»veJ wjJJ w rive here fco-wonow.