THE WRECK OF THE LISTINGHAM.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1237, 9 September 1884, Page 3

THE WRECK OF THE LISTINGHAM.

Wellington. Sept. G. Robert Robertson, carpeuuci of Uia Lastingham, hap made the following statement. He said the ship struck about 10.40. He ran forward and found the ship right upor. the rocks.. Someone said the chief officer had given the order "everyone for himself," but he (witness) did not hear him. When he got forward he found several of the crew elambering aleng the jibboom and dropping on the rocks beneath. He followed and found himself safe. Those on shore saw a crowd on the poop and called to them to save themselves, as they had done. He believed the captain's wife was downstairs at the time. The ship hung on the ronks three or four minutes, when she slipped into deep water, and a terrible surf commenced to break over her and sent her broadside on. She rolled heavily and commenced to settla down. The people could still be seen standing aft, and several human beings were seen in the main riggings. Several made attempts to yet ashore with ropes round their bodies, but they soon became exhauited and were hauled on board again. The ship then commenced breaking up. A heavy sea carried away the deck house, smashing the boats and carrying them away. The main and mizzen royal masts also went, and they than found Groves and Fryer who had been R-aßhed ashore, and these were assisted on to the rocks. A heavy sea continued to make breaches over her. The mainmast was carried away, and the foremast followed, tearing up the deck. The sea was covered with wreckage. They distinctly heard cries for help. The vessel gave several heavy lurches, and then disappeared, the mizzenmast still standing. They watched till daybreak to see if any survivors should come ashore on wreckage, but there were none. They then crawled to the summit of the hill and separated into parties, some to search for survivors and others to seek assistance. One party saw sheep, but being fatigued and having no boots, they did not attempt to pursue them. It blew aud rained heavily, and was bitterly cold.

A touching incident is described by Groves, A. 8., who »ays before he left the vessel, he went below to ask the captain's advice. The captain was seated at the cabin table with his arm around his wife's waist. They were both up to their bodies in water. The captain did not answer him, and Groves went back to the poop and shook hands with all gathered there. He then jumped overboard and got safe ashore. Subscription lists in aid of the suryivors have been started.

The steamer Napier, chartered by the Underwriters, left for the scene of the wreck this morning to ascertain if anything can be saved. Among the passengers are a number of Press correspondents. Sept. 7. The steamer Koranui, which passed Jackson's Head this morning, sighted a quantity of wreckage floating about, hut none of it was of very large dimensions. The Napier has not yet returned. The schooner Maud Graham on Thursday picked up the three man who were left at Cape* Jackson (being away in search of help) when the other survivors were rescued. They were brought on to Lyttelton. Sept. 8.

The Bteamsr Napier returned from Jackson's Head this morning, but on account of the weather, was unable to get round to the site of the Head on which the ship struck. Parties were landed on this side of the Head and crossed over the hills to where the vessel lay, and found her on the port bilge with her decks slanting seaward, and the mast standing out of the water.

At the enquiry, before Mr H. H. Wardell, R.M., and Captains VaDSutter and Grant, Nautical Assessors,the evidence was taken of the chief and second officers and two of the seamen. The evidence simply bore out the statements of the survivors, already published. At its conclusion, the Chairman said :—We believe that the whole of the facts necessary to arrive at a decision are before us. We arrive at the conclusion that there was an error of judgment on the part of the master, which has led to the disaster —an error of judgment in keeping upon the western tack too long ; he should have tried to run through the Strait, This error was his, and Eot an error for which the chief officer is any way responsible. We will put our finding into proper form and submit it to his Excellency the Governor for confirmation. We may say at once that there is no reason to believe there was any error on the part of the chief officer: that so far as the officers before the Court are concerned, they did all that could be expected of them. We feel called upon to make a further remark, because it has to a certain extent gon« to the public that several vessels appear to have been unobservant of signals of distress made on the coast. We realise that signals of distress made under the circumstances by men standing on the shore, backed up by the forest, would be very unlikely to attract attention on board a vessel a mile or more off, and we hare no reason to suppose that there has been anything like negligence on the part of those on board. The men were under a disadvantage in not having the means to make a fire, and we have no reason to suppose that there was anything approaching negligence on the part of those vessels which were said to have passed during the time the men were on the shore,