IHE WRECK OF THE TAIAROA. Inquest on the Bodies. Kekerangu, Wednesday night.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 151, 24 April 1886, Page 4

IHE WRECK OF THE TAIAROA. Inquest on the Bodies. Kekerangu, Wednesday night.

Tub inquest commenced thia afternoon, when some evidence was taken, the substance of which I have already sent to you. The evidence of Mr Liggins, the Union Go's, agent at Blenheim, was to the effect that he went aboard and searched the steamer thoroughly. He found the hull not broken, but both holds were full of water. The ealoon was gutted, everything being smashed by the sea, the officers' room? under tho bridges were in the same condition. The purser's room was locked. He broke it open and took out the ship's books. He searched for cash, but found none. He found no bodies. He left the wreck three hours before high water, when the sea was washing right across her. The holds were a mass of floating debria. The Taiaroa had four boats capable of carrying ninety persons. All appeared to have beon let down from the davits. She had twenty passengers and twenty-eight of a crew. Did not examine the engine-room, and could not say how the telegraph indicator was. A Clarence bridge man bad beon aboard before witness, and had fastened ropes from the mast to the shore to prevent her listing. It was quite possible for such people to have altered the telegraph, or to have done anything else, as they had entire freedom of the ship. The company had decided to abandon the steamer, which had beon handed over to Captain Bendall fcr tho Underwriters' Association, The company as usual, holds idsurance themselves. He could find no passengers luggage on board. In the captain's room the charts of the coast were lying open with parallels upon them to keep them open. The facfc that the captain and chfef steward left the steamer proved that no one was then on board, as they always leave in the last boat. There does not seem to have been much confusion at the time. Witness identified the body of the chief officer, The inquest was then adjourned till tomorrow morning at nine to enable Sergeant Grant, the survivor at Woodbank, to attend. A buggy loft this afternoon, but a traveller has just arrived bringing the inforrnation that tho horse is knocked up in the sand, and Grant is thereforo not likely to reach there before morning.