THE PENGUIN DISASTER

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 21, 18 February 1909, Page 2

THE PENGUIN DISASTER

salvage work. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Union Company's tug Terawhiti returned this afternoon from the scene of the wreck of the Penguin, bringing a quantity of wreckage, including the two rafts to which nearly all the survivors owe their lives, and one of the Penguin's lifeboats. Two had boon secured, but salvage operations were cut short by a. southerly springing up suddenly. The Terawhiti was, therefore, forced to steam away without slopping to take one of the lifeboats on board, and it was towed behind. When two miles had been covered it broke adrift, and will probably go ashore. The calm sea during the early part of the day enabled a close seari-h to be made of the outlying rocks, an oil launch

being used for this purpose, but no bodies wore recovered. Arrangements have been made with the Justice Department to provide a patrol, consisting of a sergeant and four constables, at the scene of the disaster for ten or twelve days, until all chances of further bodies coming ashore have disappeared. Tho tug 'Terawhiti will bo kepi in readiness, and if any bodies are recovered an undertaker with cnllins « ; ll be immediately despatched 10 me beach. TAKEN OI'E THE DEATH ROLL. , A CASE Of MISTAKEN 4 IDENTITY. 1 Wellington, Last Xiglit. It is stated by the police that a mis take has arisen in the list of idontilica-

tions. whereon the name of J. Hates appears. Nobody was identified under that name, and the I'liion Company have no record of such a passenger. This name was inserted in the list of drowned when the identification was reported, so that it should now be deleted and tho death roll reduced to 74. It has been proved beyond doubt that a supposed victim, Felix Woodward, is not dead, but, on the contrary, has communicated with friends in Wellington by post from Taihapc. Since the Penguin's wreck information given to the Cnion Company resulted in a cable being sent to a Air. Woodward, alleged to be the victim's fatlier, in Tasmania, but this Air. Woodward replied that there was some mistake, for he bad not a son named Felix. The body claimed to be Woodward's certainly resembled him, for it was that of a' tall, dark young man, with busily black hair One uf Woodward's old friends visited the morgue when the newspapers announced the identifications and satisfied himself that there was a mistake by

opening the mouth. it contained no ' artificial teeth, whereas the real Felix Woodward has a number of them. THE MISSING. A CORRECTED LIST. Wellington, Last Night. Following is a list of passengers and crew missing from the s.s. Penguin, as compiled to-day:— PASSENGERS. Air. Holmes, Air. u. ,/. unnerwood, Air. N. White, Mr. Cooinbc, Air. Johnson, Air. James Collins. CREW. F. Driscoll, second ollicer; (!. A. Loosemore, third officer; C. Alexander, chief steward; T. Hayes, boatswain; C. Wostaeotl, A.8.; W. E. Henderson, A.D.; G. liaffra. donkeymau; J. Conic, trimmer; Edwin Hull, second cook; H. McGuire. scullion steward; It. Cooke, nie-sroom steward; G. Claydou, saloon waiter. Leonard dwells. ,\.c , M „ by Air. Voiwg. secretary of the Seaman's I ni.iit. to have been'mi board, but the I'nion Steamship Company have no record of his having signed on the ship's articles. CLAIMS IRON THE COMPANY. Wellington, Last Xight. Considerable interest is being taken in the question of the Union Company's Ii ability ill respect of the deaths of th passengers and crewr The passengers' claims will all depend upon the Una! ver- / diet in regard to the cause of the disaster, but. the crew come miner the Workers' Compensation Act. .Many of (he deceased men on the Penguin's crew list, seem to have had "total dependents" who can make a claim for compensation, and if their ease is proved the company will be liable to pay the maximum amount ( ,u,uil) in lespeet of I 111. least half a dozen victims. At n. I rough estimate it wiß cosi the Union Steamship Company at least C4OOO to settle those claims. THE INQUIRY. Wellington, r'ohruarv 17. 'I he nniilica) inquiry into the' wreck of tiie Penguin was opened to-day. Dr. McArlhur presided, iiud lie laid with him Captain Reed (Auckland) and Captain McArlhur (Wellington) as asThe question- submitted for Hie decision of the court included:— 1. The seaworthiness of the vessel and the state of the life-saving appliances, also their sufficient', and efficiency. •J. Whether, considering the state of the weather, it was safe and proper to sail from Picton or from the head of Tory Channel on Friday, or whether shelter should have been sought. .'). What was the cause of the casualty. i. Whether the casualty was due to negligence or the default of any

person or pcrsvaa on the vessel. •1. Could the casualty have bee-i reasonably prevented'; 0. After the casually, were all reasonable and proper precautions taken lo prevent loss of life? Mr. Herduian, who appeared for Cap tain Naylor and Engineer Luke, and Mr. Wilford, who appeared for the Union Company, both requested an adjournment, on the ground that thev had not had time to thoroughly familiarise themselves with the detail,' of the whole Mr. 11. D. Bell, K.C., o„ behalf of the Grown, said there was no reason why the Union Company should not bo pro pared 111 a case like this, but he could ■i»t resist the application of the captain- counsel. ' Eventually if was agreed that the in'limy be adjourned until Aloiidny morn

FUNERALS ()[.■ oTHKH VICTIMS Wellington, February 17. . "'c "mc'-als of Air. W. Slniil.'w ,o,i-S"'«-n. Mr. Albert Cone. A,,-,. 'Hope -'":• •""","''' '■■ Hi 'laughter, and Mrs. '"■"",' l' "" ll ""'".■ victims of the IVm-uln "rock, took place to-day. reliiFfuxds. We11ing,,,,,, jr enrlmrv j7 lie federated Seamen"- Union has ■ "led each surviving member of the ""."-" »:!"> «'u, wrecked in the !»„,, •s'uui tltl, and opened a subscription list '" 'l'll of the relatives of the decease, members.

Mr. ,1. c. William-en cabled over inI -'met 1110 that a matinee should be given I" '■'•"-' l^'l-MiM." and that the whole "I the proceeds were to be given to the '-;' 1 "; 1 "■■'ii- AH the newspapers have started subscription lists. Over Clou has been collected so far. Pollard's Opera Company wore t„ have travelled by the Penguin, but a '•liange of route saved them. | X-'O EURTIIEIt BODIES 01; WRECK I AGE.

•I Wellington, February 17. No further bodies or wreckage have conic ashore, and tin police are to lie withdrawn. The Terawhili ~«, „„, wi,i, an oil liiinii-li to examine the rocks, wherever accessible, ,„ ease bodies may have lodgI I'd in the crevices. I A L.IGTIT OX TKK.VWIITTI. TIIL .MIXISTKK'S VIKWS. Wellington. Last Night. The PeiiKuiii's wreck near Cape Terawhili. one of a long list of marine disasters near that dangerous spot, is cans, I ing a revival of an agitation for a light

house there, but oflieial opinion is ovi 1 dently against Hie proposal. The lion. A. Millar, Minister of Marine, informed a Press representative thai, in his opinion, there was no need for a light at Terawhiti. *ll would only be confusing to seamen, for the spot was already well lighted. The Brothers light covered the. whole of that side of the coast, and there was also I'oncarrow. "The Brothers light is right in (he centre

of Hie Straits," continued Mr. Millar, '"and will serve for Terawhiti, the [ sounds and the West, Coast—in fact, everything going east or west, ft is only eight miles from The Brothers to Terawhiti, but the range of the light is eighteen miles, f have seen Cape Farewell, The Brothers, and Penenvrow lights at one time, and this can be seen on nnv elear night in a particular part -of the Straits," ' '

PMHHHPf the I the HghriorirtTfly placed on .liana Island was found to be too much inside | and The Brothers light took its place, if seamen stood out lor that mark they cleared everything. Every year the Aliirino Department endeavours to erect a new coastal light. At present Cape Brett is being provided with this miiehneeded light facility for mariners, and the light will probably beam over the I'aeilic in June. The .Minister was asked what part of the coast would next receive attention, and replied that it would be the long unlightcd stretch between I'allisoi'l Hay and I'ortland l-iand o.i tin. East Coast. "Except for me Napier Imboij \ light, which is only seen when von arej , upon Cape Kiduappcrs ami is not visible , beyond ten miles, there is nothing between those point-.'' said Mr. Millar. f "There is a. lot of oi'okcn ground I'oi ■ some distance oil I lie land, and 1 hope , to have it lighted ii. due course."

Mrs. L. Evan-, of Kaponga, one of the. victims of the Penguin disaster wasi the wife of Mr. 11. Evan-, a hcucliiii-in in. W. Clement's sawmill. I'pper Manilla" road, lie had only been married about twelve months. |'| u . late Mr-. Ev.ins i left Kaponga about Christina- to attend I the funeral of her father at Nlcl-oli, and presumably wa- a pu-scngor o„ the I Penguin on her wav back to Tarauaki. - Ilawera Star. The circumstances stirrouniling the di'iith of Mr-. Tooincr „,„| ),,.,- lv V,j daughters are piirticularlv pathetic. Residents of Rerhanipore, tiiey had been in Nelson for some weeks 'fruit-picking;

Mrs. Newton, a sister-in law, who had also been in Nelson, came across the previous week. The two Toomer chil (Iron, Ivy and Alice, seemed to have a dread of the trip back, and wanted to come back with Mrs. Newton, crying because they could not. Ivy also'wanted to come, but stayed at her mother's request. The night before Mrs. Newton left Nelson she was talking to Mrs. Toomer. the convolution, singularly enough, being about wrecks. Mrs. Newton had remarked: "Oh. well, if I ain to lie drowned, I suppose it is my fate." When the vessel in. which Mrs. Newton came back was leaving, Mrs. Toomer said to her: "You artrliving flue weather. . We will have it pretty rough, I sup. pose." The prophesy was correct. The pain of sadness is rendered more acute by the fact that mother and children

were returning specially to lie in time for Mv. Toomci's birthday, which look •placo on Sunday. Tt was a «ad birthday for him. Mrs. Ifamian, the sole woman survivor, saw Mrs. Toomer when *he was leaving the ill-fated steamer, and .foist as tl»» boat \i\ which they wen- seated went down she he;\rd the younger i-hild pathetically call out: "Oh, mother, we will never sec daddy any more.'' Tn striking contrast with Saturday and Sunday was the appearance of the oeean and the coastline hi the vicinity of Terawhiti on Monday. The sun shouo brightly all day, there was hardly a | ripple on the water, and save for the 1 wreckage strewn all along the beach, there was nothing to indicate that the coast on lite, previous two days had presented a picture almost too horrifying to describe. The sea was so calm (hat a racing skill' could have ridden on the surface as comfortably as on tho smoothest river.