WRECK OF THE TAIAROA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1494, 17 April 1886, Page 1

WRECK OF THE TAIAROA.

Kererangua, April 13. The beach from Ciipe Campbell to Waipapn Point has been thoroughly searched, and no more bodies hare been found. The Taiaroa’s signal box, was picked up, also a woman’s cloak, some blankets, and several loose flags. The wreck was thoroughly searched yesterday by the Wakatu’s crew, on behalf of (he Underwriters. The ship’s linen, sailors clothes from the forecastle, Galbraith’s cheque book, Mrs Fitzgerald's bag, and a Salvation Army bonnet have been recovered. Several boxes of luggage are -tdl in the hold, mid a portmanteau supposed to contiin a hrgv sum of money was washed overboard. Mr YaP.-mce will ho buried at Flaxbourne, instead ot being sent to Christchurch. The wreck is gradually settling down, and is greatly strained. It is thought she must inevitably break up. There is no one iu charge on board. April 14. The body which was supposed to he Morrison, the fireman, is that of a much older man. No money or valuables \u-ie found on him. The engineer, wlio.m; body was found in McQuartier’s boat bad £55 on him. Martin, a passenger had £4O, and was supposed to be on his way home t© Nairn, Scotland, vhere bis relatives are tailors. No money or valuables Were found on the wreck except the captain’s gold ring, which is in the possession of Mr Liggins. The purser’s hooks were found in splendid order, but it is supposed he had a large sura of money upon him when drowned. Monkman, the chief officer, was identified by the papers found on the body. The ninth body found yesterday at Flaxbourne turned out to be that of Vlr Yallance. Should the wind shift roumi north-easterly probably more bodies will

come ashore. The chief officer’s body was found wearing two shirts, from which he had evidently tried to extricate himself, as both were off except at one wrist, where the other hand clutched in a fruitless attempt to unbutton the wristband. It is probable the position of the shirts hampered him in his attempt to swim ashore. Among the Taiaroa’s passenger* was a gentleman named Murray, about 55 years of age, who was on his way from Nelson to Lyttelton to meelf his brother, Mr W. S. Murray, who is not long out from Home and is a resident of Dunedin, Only one mail bag has been recovered. The search by Mr Silvins, the Kekerangua postmaster, for the remainder has proved fruitless up to the present. Among the relics of the wreck lying on the beach is a green Box which contained the performing race- . course monkey. The box has I, Harbord painted on it. The monkey and the cat are now at Woodbank station. It has t een ascertained that the total number on board the Taiaroa was forty-eight, of whom fourteen are saved, besides nine bodies recovered. The man already referred to as the engineer is supposed by some to be the purser, as a large sum of money and a cheque were found on him. On his body is the Company’s uniform, and he has a Maltese cross tatooed on the front of the right forearm, and the Union Jack on the other arm, the staff being held by the figure of a sailor having a cutlass in his right hand. A bundle of \ about thirty lifebelts has come ashore. April 15. The bodies of the chief officers and Morrison, the fireman, were sent away by the Waxatu to Lyttelton this afternoon. The other three bodies were buried here, the Rev. T. S. Grace, of Blenheim, and VY. McAra, of Kaikouri officiating. The three bodies at Woodbank, and Mr Vallance’s at Flaxbourne, will be buried to-morrow. Wellington, April 14. The enquiry re the Taiaroa wreck will be held on Saturday. The sale of the vessel has been withdrawn. Captain Thompson has been presented with a valuable gold locket by the occupants of the boat rescued from the Taiaroa. April 15. The Postal Department has received intimation from Kekerangua that several mail bags were recovered from the Taiaroa at six o’clock this morning. They are expected ac Blenheim by Friday’s coach.

April 16. Mr Dalrymple. chief engineer of the Taiaroa, identifies the body of No. 1 as Robert Irvine, fireman, about 45 years, and belonging to Newry, Ireland. He had been in the Taiaroa 14 month*, and was a single man. He also states that-'i#’; the body supposed to be Stratfor/I^ 1 engineer, and on whose bo ly was found a considerable amount of money, could not be he, as Stratford had only a pound or two. The carpenter states that if No. 3 is the man who relieved Jones his name is McPhee,’ a married man with two children. THE TAIAROA RELIEF FUND. Dunedin, April 16. The Mayor to-day received a deputation to whom he gave a promise that he would convene a public meeting to discuss the question of raising subscriptions for the relief of the families of those whose lives were lost in theTaiaroa. THE INQUEST. The inquest on the bodies of Robert Boyle, Monkraan, chief officer of the Taiaroa, Alex. Martin, a passenger on the same vessel, and three other bodies - of persons unknown, was opened on Wednesday afternoon at Kekerangua schoolroom, before Mr John Allen, R.M., Coroner, and a jury of six. Mr Alex. McLachlan, manager of the Kekerangua Station, was foreman. The Union Company was repraserited by Mr Liggins, the Blenheim agent. Sergeant White conducted the enquiry on behalf of the police. Dr Bedford, of Kaikoura, gave the result of his examination of the bodies. No I man was apparently about 45; a 'arge proportion of his leg was eaten away by fishes ; the man’s name was unknown. No 2—Alex. Martin. No 3 the chief officer. No 4—A young man in the Union Company’s uniform ; supplied to be second or third engineer. No 5—A young man apparently a fireman. All five men met their death by drowning. There are no .marks of violence but a few scratches from collision with the boats or gravel. The evidence taken was unimportant. J. McNaught, a shepherd, idenlifted the body of Martin, and John McNaughi deposed to finding the bodies on the beach, G. J. Liggins, agent of the Company at Blenheim, gave evidence. He said the Taiaroa could carry 90 persons, but had 48 on hoard. He collected tho silver out of the salcon but could not find rvo passengers’ lugcage. In Ihe Captuiu’s . > room a chart of the coast was lying open ■ with parellels upon Im m lo keep them open. Four of the passengers were women, sixteen were men, and there was one child. On Thursday Cons'able Drew, Edward Rodgers (carpenter on the Kekerangua Station), Sergeant Godson Grant, and William Henry McQuarrSe (survivors), William Davidson (n laborer), and JosephFielder (the chief steward) gave evidence. • ■' The Coroner summed up and said mniters were perfectly clear, no suspicious circumstances attending the death of any of them. In order that all the facts might be before the jury he had thought, it right to collect ihe fullest evident., obtainable regarding the wreck. Tin jury returned a verdict of found drowned. The coroner then issued certificates for the burial of the five bodies at Kekerangua, the three at Woodbank, and one at Flaxbourne. He thanked the jury for thair (ittt-udance and the proceedings terminated,