Wreck of the s.s. Maitai.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3222, 5 June 1889, Page 2

Wreck of the s.s. Maitai.

~ Auckland,,June4. '; ; .'The followingaccount of the wreck of the Maitai has been given by Mr 0. Wright, one of the passengers: '. "The passengers were all in bed when the vessel struck. The steamer went right over the rock with one sea, and the succeeding, wave carried her blew "of the' obstacle.: The passengers, were all aroused by the force of the concussion and rushed on deck, most, of them scantily clothed. There was, however, no .excitement apparent, and it was scarcely possiblo to cbnoeivo that the situation.wda bo I perilous. The oaptain, first mate, and-'second mate wero on deok —the second mate having charge of the surf boat and the' first 1 mate charge of the life boat. Immediately the steamer went over the rooks, Captain Dawson gave the order' Full speed ahead,' and had the: vessel's head directed toward the land,* which appeared to. be about a mile and a half or : two miles distant, Directly the vessel Btruok she commenced to make water,in .the forecastle, and as it was evident that she' would founder in. a very short space of time, the boats were got in readiness.to be lowered,. There was no rushing for the boats, and everything was done.quietly. When the boats had.beeriiowered into the water and made fast to tbo steamer by their painters,' Captain Dawson gave the order-: :.'.Women in first,'; and all of the female passengers, excepting one, were got into the boats, by jumping. They jumped from the steamers deok into theboat which, at this:time, vra3 able to keep pretty close to the leeward-side of the vessel, ( Some of those who were taken off by the other boat had.to: jump into the water before they were 1 picked up, The women were all passed into the second mato's boat.J into wbioh I also went myself. The captain, 'engineer, and purser remained on deck to the last. Captain Dawson knew that there was anothor woman onboard, although she was.not to be seen. He'ran round the deok in B«aroli of her, aud fiudmg her in fie cabin, hurried her along to the-side of the vessel, and told her- to jump, (she did so aud was saved.

" Tho purser about this time had gone below, probably to got sorao papers from bis cabin, and Captain Dawson did not bow that .lie was on board. The captain and engineer, believing everyone; else, had gone, eventually jumped from the vessel into the turbid wators, and were picked up in company with the lady passenger by the nearest boat. We flaw the purser a moment later clinging to one of the davits, and at this time the vessel was just on the point of sinking. We called to him from the boats to jump. for his life, but he appeared to be paralysed with fear, and continued to cling to his support. The last we saw of him was when the vessel was finally disappearing, and : as his head sank out of sight his oap was caught on a wave and floated past us,

Auckland Items,

Auckland. Jun6 i,

A publio meeting wb'b hold to-night at St. James' Hull, under the auspices of tho .Radical Laagua Anti-Poverty Society and Progressive League, when it was unanimously/ resolved- "That the property-tax be repealed at the earliest opportunity, and a tax upon land values, exclusive of improvements, be at once imposed." The Insurance Companies Association have determined'to charge an extra premium of 5s per £IOO upon all houses using colonial ovens. A petition protesting against this is in circulation. The case of the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company v. J, C. Firth was called at the Supreme Court this morning,' when Mr Justice Gillies fixed Wednesday, the 26th instant, for the argument of certain hw points involved, The case is arousing considerable attention, particularly as there is a counter claim by tho defendant, Mr J.'O. Firth, against the Company for .£50,000. In their action the Company seek to obtain judgment for £5!42 2s lOd on one claim and £-1058 10s 9d on another, The first is with respect to a certain bill of sale givon by Mr Firth, and tho second claim with respect to certain promissory notes and bills of exchange, Both claims are based upon a deed entered into betwoen the two parties and also the Bank of New Zealand, in September, 1888, by which the Loan and Mercantile Company could seize.the slock and book debts of Mr Firth for certain moneys advanced by them.' The defence against thin claim is that the stook and hook debts seized by the Company are more than sufficient to satisfy all tho direct claims of the Company, Mr Firth has entered a counter claim against the Loan and Mercantile Agenoy Company for £50,000 damages for alleged breach of agreement, .

TheKaiwhava Murder.

Cliemls Arrested on Suspicion.

Wellington, Wednesday, Eavly this morning Louis Chemis was arrested on the'charge ofmurduring Themas Hawking 3, and remanded for a week at tbeS.M. Ooml' Inspeotor Thomson said that until last night neither he'nor the Crown Proseoutor considered there was sufficient to justify the arrest, though Cliemis Jiitd been under suspicion for some time. Accused desoribos himself as an Italian, but some who know him well believe him to be a Hungarian whioh is more in accord with his name. Ho is the Louis Cherais. mentioned in Mrs Hawkings* evidence, and it was at his house the; dagger produced at the inquest, and the dotible barrelled shot gun were found. Although the shot in the, flask found does not agree with those in the body, 'it is said the doctor has detested some pallets in tho flesh about the same size. '-■'.".