LOSS OF THE TAINUI.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1919, Page 4

LOSS OF THE TAINUI.

"A MASS OF TWISTED IRON» SOME INTACT BENZINE CASES CASH UP. By Telegraph.—Press Association. ; j Christdiurch, L»at Night. ' All that remains of the Tainul is A' mass of twißted iron and piping and a few feet of timber at the stern and nose. What is left of the vsiml lies in an almost inaccessible part of the coastline, about nine miles from Cheviot* Even after three full tides had broken over the wreck there still remained yes« terday smouldering embers of the fire* which had been raging so furiously. The Refrigerating Company will pro., bably abandon the Tainul to the under* writers owing to the inaccessibility of the position of the wreck. If it were possible to remove the refrigerating plant to a railway it is estimated it alone would be worth about £2OO. Only about thirty intact case* of benzine have been found up to th® present. On either aide of th«'wreck hundreds of empty tins, blown all shapes by the explosion, are littered on the beach. Amongst the cargo were several ploughs, but all hope of salvaging these has been abandoned. The forward part of the Tainui from bridge to bow was burnt out right down to the keel. Only twisted ironwork and battered tine remained on this portion of the vessel The funnel had completely broken away, and lay towards the cliffs, overshadowing the wreck. Aft, the water tank and engine room machinery appeared to be intact, but above what had been the engine-room the iron Work was twisted and dented almost out of recognition. Not a blade remained on the propeller, due probably to the vessel bumping on the reefs.

The opinion has been expressed that if it had been possible for the Tainui'e crew to have stood the heat and remained on the vessel instead of taking to the lifeboats they would have stood a better chance of saving their live*. One nearly eye-witness of the wreck, after it had drifted to the shore, says it wfti not then burning aft. There is no direct evidence to show whether the explosion of the benzine cargo was the result ot the fire on the ship, or if a Are caused the explosion. When the only survivor was awakened as the result of one explosion the fire was then belching forth from one of the forehatch covers. It wag noticed in the daylight, however, that one of the victims was scorched about the face and head. SEAMEN'S UNION PROTEST AGAINST ALLEGED LAXITY. Wellington/ Yesterday. At the annual meeting of the National Council of the Federated Seamen's Union, now being held, the disaster, to the Tainui and her crew was considered. Members stood, and in silence parted the following resolution: "That the National Council of the Federated Stamen's Union, now in annual meeting respectfully tenders the relatives and friends of the crew of the steamer Tahrui 'their sincere sympathy and : the condolence of the organised seamen of New Zealand in the great loss they have sustained in the disaster, and the council expresses great abhorrence of the la*ity of the proper authorities, in permitting ships with benzine cargo putting to sea without being properly equipped for the carriage of the cargo in question; further, the council ig of opinion that seamen should refuse to proceed to sea in any ship witah a cargo unless the ship is so constructed as to prevent bencin? fumes penetrating to any other part of the vessel beyond the holds." The general secretary of the union, Mr. W. T. Young, in a statement to the press, said that if those in power for the moment will not act to preserve life and limb other means will have to be taken by other men, even at the ri»k of offending the War Regulations. AN ADVENTUROUS CAREER. SEAMAN CHARLES WILLIAMS, D.S.M. Christcliurch, Sept. 16. A particularly well-known member of the crew of the Tainui who lost his life was Seaman Charles Williams, D.B.M, son of Captain H. Williams, of Tuam Street, Christchurch.' His career was marked by dauntless courage, and the 83 years of his life were crowded with adventure. Williams entered the merchant service on a schooner engaged in the New Zealand trade in 1897, when 10 years of age. Shortly after leaving school at Lyttelton he received his first naval training as a member of the New Zealand Naval Reserve, and later served on H.M.S. Tauranga. It waj on board this boat that he first revealed his reckless courage In succoring the creV during a terrific gale. In 1909 Williams received his discharge from the Navy, and a year later went to Antarctica in the Terra Nova. In a tferrific storm the pumps of the little ship became choked, and Williams went down between the boilers in the blistering heat, and relieved the obstruction. His action was the means of saving, the ship from foundering. He had been twice in Antarctica, first with Captain Scott, and afterwards with tha relief expedition under Commander Evans. He possessed the Antarctic Medal and that of the Geographical Society. At tlie outbreak of the war he volunteered for service with the North Sea Fleet as a stoker. Williams was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for conspicuous bravery during the engagement off Dover between H.M.S. Broke laml H.M.S. Swift and Bix German 'warships. htoker Williams was serving under Commander Evans on the Broke. Feeling secure in their superiority of numbers, the Germans essayed to (ink their opponents. The two British boats were surrounded, and put up a magnificent fight, Stoker Williams wag asleep in his hammock when the fight began. He went on deck, and devoted his attention to carrying the wounded to safety below deck, a work which was attended by extreme danger, when the German sailors boarded the Broke and hand-to-hand fighting ensued. Commander Evans recommended Stoker Williams for the D.S.M. for his bravery. Previously Williams was on H.M.S. Viking, which struck a mine in the North Sea, and later he was on H.M.S. Conquest. He took part in the Zeebrugge fight, and was one of the volunteers from the Broke who landed, on the mole there.