The Latest.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4885, 5 September 1884, Page 2

The Latest.

The wreck of the Lastingham has caßt a gloom over the city, and flags are lowered half mast, as a mark of respect to those who perished. Captain Morrison was about 60 years of age. His wife usually accompanied him on all his voyages. Instructions have been issued to send a steamer from Picton to proceed to the scene of the catastrophe, and institute a search for the three survivors who were hunting for a habitation, and who could not ba found when the others were rescued. A subscription was started this morning in aid of the survivors, and £36 was handed to the chief officer to provide clothing for his shipmates. An enquiry into the disaster is being held before the Collector of Customs."

The Lastingham struck head on, and immediately broached to, when her side became exposed to the fury of the terific sea running, and deck houses, boats, and everything about the decks was swept overboard. The sea continued to make clean sweeps over the ill-fated ship, and in about an hour the decks bulged out, and this was the last seen of the vessel. She then slipped off the rocks, and disappeared into* deep water. It was with, the greatest difficulty that any of the crew managed to reach the rocks; they did so in an exhausted condition and their hands were severely lacerated. Captain Babot, of ShaW'Savilla and Co., has taken charge of the survivors, and will see to their wants being properly attended to. The ship-wrecked crew speak in high praise of the treatment they received at the hands of Capt. Jensen of the ketch Agnes. It is understood that Capt. Morrison, who commanded the Lastingham, had retired from sea some time back, but was ruined by the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank, and had to go to sea again; this being his second voyage. A Dunedin telegram says :—The Lastingham is owned by Capt. Leslie, formerly commander of the Oamaru and May Queen, which made several smart pas sages to New Zealand. She was of 1143 tons, built at West Hartlepool, in 1876, was commanded by Capt. Morrison, and left London on May 27. She was chartered to Shaw, Saville and Co. for the voyage to Wellington and back.