WRECK OF THE PENGUIN.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4374, 16 February 1909, Page 2

WRECK OF THE PENGUIN.

GREAT LOSS OF LIFE. 2G BODIES RECOVERED SO FAR. AWFUL SCENES ON THE BEACH STREWN WITH BODIES AND WRECKAGE. Wellington, February 14. The news was telephoned from Mokara ear.y on Saturday that the s.s. Penguin had gone ashore in the night and it was feared there was much loss of life. The Union I’ompany sent a horseman over the hills to the beach to gather news, and later sent blankets and proDrovisions in motor cars. They were taken on by pack horses along the precipitous Ci.ast.

McMenamin’s sheep station, which is always the first place to get news of disasters at Terawhiti, was' visited by a man from the steamer, who brought the first news, and a little later six more arrived, but it was not till Captain Naylor reached town, about midday, that anything very definite could be procured. The first versions said that only 13 persons had been saved, but the disaster is not so bad as that. A number of passengers who intended coming over appear to have been deterred by rough weather, and thus •no doubt diminished the death roll.

The passengers were all put into boats. Of these three are upturned on the shore. One is tossing about broken, and the fifth and last is missing. Unless this boat turns up no one who was in the boats has been saved except Mrs Harman, of Nelson, a little b°y» and a youth named Matthews, of Spring Creek, Marlborough. It was hoped the lost boat might have made Ohau Bay, but the Arahnra which went to the scene and visited the bay. reported that it was not there, nor had the other vessels in the vicinity seen it. The list of passengers revised according to the latest information of the Union Company, is:— From Picton.—Mr Bridge (saved), Mrs Brittain, Mr Bird, Mr Bone. Mr Courtnay, Miss Doran, Mr Ellison (saved), Mr Green (saved), Mr Hale, Mr S. Holcroft, Mrs Hale, Mrs Hart, Mr Hogg (saved), Mr Holmes, Mr Harold, Mr E. Matthews (saved), Miss McCalley Mr Riggs, Millar (saved), Miss Ribbands, Mr Frank Shaw (saved), Mr Underwood, Mr N. White.

From Nelson —Mr Cunningham, Mr Cbappel, Mr Coumbe, Mr Foadec, Miss Hunt, Miss Jennings, Mr Jack Duthie (saved), Mr Johnson, .Mrs Jacka, Mr Jacka, Misses Maguire (3), Master Maguire, Mr Perkins (saved), Mr Rutherford, Mrs Rutherford, Mr Shaw Mrs Toomer and child, MissToomer, Mrs Hannan (saved), Mr Hannan and four children.

Late yesterday afternoon twenty-six bodies had come ashore, or were in sight in the surf.

For two miles the beach is strewn with wreckage, pieces of the vessel, cabin seats, cushions, and upholstery of every kind floating about on the water and distributed over the sands.

Not a ventage of the vessel itself remains, and it is absolutely impossible to determine where she sank. The bodies, of whom 16 or 17 have already been recovered, are coming ashore in a little bay to the west of McMenamin’s Terawhiti homestead.

The sight on the beach is rue that would never be forgotten. Three lifeboats are thrown up on the sand, and one raft is also high and dry. The wreckage and fourth lifeboat is floating about in the breakers. Just round a forbidding looking bluff was discovered the body of a little girl about 12 or 13 years of age. A little further on was the body of a middle-aged man, and still a little further away was the corpse of an elderly woman apparently 45 or 50 years of age. Just past the second lifeboat was seen the body of a young man wearing a light grey suit and apparently between 17 and IS years of age. Still further on was the body of a woman clothed in a blue costume, and apparently between 35 and 40 years of age, had been washed ashore. ' There was also on the beach the body of a man about 40 to 50 years of age, and another corpse was that of a fireman. The young man who was lying dead on the beach was evidently the same passenger whom Captain Naylor endeavoured to save on the upturned boat that he was clinging to The police authorities have made arrangement for the care of the bodies that are being washed ashore. At 7 o’clock this morning two mounted constables were despatched to the scene. They took with them blankets and medical comforts for the injured. Later on a sergeant and two more constables left in a motor car, and the Commissioner of Police has expressed his inteutiou of also going out, Some coflins have also been sent to the coast,l'an! the police will be stationed by the bodies till they can be brought to Wellington. It is intended to bring them around by the sea as soon as the weather moderates, but this operation will be impossible this evening. The only other way to make the passage in would be by pack horse over rugged hill tracks, but this course is not considered advisable, The Union Company is cooperating with the police in making the best possible arrangements for the care of the bodies, The survivors of the crew so far as is known are ; Captain Naylor. R. Watts, M, Key, R. Jones, D McCormick, W, Rees (steward), F. Wicktorin, W. Pierrea (greasers), A. R. Thomson (purser) G. Ferrall (A. 8.). JUuke (second enginoer), D. R. Lynn (cook), G. Francis (steward), Chas. Jasksou (A. 8.), I, and H. Hnelgroye, I