SPECIAL REPORT. PASSENGERS STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 248, 21 March 1888, Page 3

SPECIAL REPORT. PASSENGERS STRUGGLE FOR LIFE.

Wellington, 1 p.m. March 17. A special reporter from the Wellington ■" Post" was despatched overland to the scene of the wreck immediately after the news was received in Wellington t He has returned and reports the ship hard tind fast on the beach with no hope of getting her off. The cargo at present is quite uninjured. There is but little doubt that it will be salvaged. At six last evening Mr Gray, first mate, wenboff to sound the well, and found only an inch of water. The Pleione etiil has all her fore top sails set with foresail clewed up, just as she was when she stranded. There is no telegraph station nearer than Otaki, 12 miles from the wreck, consequently there is only meagre intelligence from the scene to-day. The agents received a wire that she is still, in much the same position, but is gradually making a hole lor herself In the sand. The Pleione is lying on an even keel, and when the Post reporter left the weathor was moderating.

Dr. Gillon, of Wellington, lofbby thefirsb train this morning to attend Captain Cul" bcrf-, who is lying at Field's Accomodation House, Otaihangi, with severe injuries to back and side when capsized fioin the bout. The name 3 of the passengers aro :—: — Saloon : Mr and Mrs Arrowsmith, Mr HugiU. Second cabin : Mr and Mrs Foster, Miss Grunday. After tho vessel ran aschoro tho boats were immediately got out, and all on board were safely gob into them. The Captain's boat, however, was capsized by a heavy sea, and its occupants had narrow escapes. There were two ladies in the boat, and both weie neai'ly drowned. Mrs Grundy failed to catch hold of the boat, and was being diifted out to seai when Mr Liddiard, tho second mate, gallantly struck out and brought her ashore. Mrs Foster clung to the seat of the boat and was overwhelmed by the dash of the waters. She would unquestionably have been drowned but for Mr Liddiard's prompt help, to whom both the female passengers owe their lives. When the boat capsized, Mr Liddiard promptly swam off to it from the shore. The Pleione makes the seventh vessel lost on this beach within a few years.

THE CAPTAIN'S STATEMENT. Captain Culborb in conversation with a reporter said : "I mistook Kapiti for Stephen's Island," a mistake which wa s perhaps excusable, as owing to the fog and vain he did not see Cape Farewell or the Brothers. News has just been received that the sand is banking up around the vessel, which has moved so as to form a kind of dock — in fact she has been floating. Excursion trains run to Waikanao tomorrow. The cargo of the ship is valued at £26,000, and is mostly insured in foreign oftices. It is estimated that the loss to the New Zea' land Insurance Company will not exceed £1,000.

The Pleione had no transhipments for this j)orfc. Thia was no doubt owing to the fact that the Shaw, Savill,'and Albion Co. had a ship on tho berth for Auckland direct at the time of the Pleione's departure, the Timaru leaving three days afterwards. All her cargo will therefore be consigned to Wellington and Southern ports. Captain Culbert, the master of the Pleoine, wa3 in Auckland some years ago in command of tho Dover Castle. Ho has been very unfortunate. When the ship Star of Tasmania was wrecked ab Oamaru in 1867 Captain Culbert was second officer of that ship, and had a narrow escape of losing hia life. Captain Culbert's father (who waa in Auckland in the early days) was then in charge of the Star of Tasmania. Several of the crew lost their lives, the captain and officers being saved.]