THE WRECK OF THE TAIAROA. FULLER PARTICULARS. TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE. Thirty-three Persons Drowned. [ BY TELEGRAPH.-PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Tuesday.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2148, 15 April 1886, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE TAIAROA.

FULLER PARTICULARS. TERRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE. Thirty-three Persons Drowned. [ BY TELEGRAPH.-PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Tuesday.

The Penguin returned from tht wreck at three o'clock this aiternoon. There was nothing special to record in reference to the Tiuana, which was seen lying an described in the ttlegrami. The Wanaka and, Wakatu were aho at the scene of the wreck" at the same time. Tho Penguin brought back none of the persons who were rescued. On intei viewing those on board it wad found they were not in a position to nupply any information in addition to that published. The Wanaka arrived here at 5 p.m. Capt. Bsndall, of the Underwriters' Association, is of opinion tho Taiaroa could be got off, unless t*h« is injured more than be imagines. He telegraphed from Kekerangu to-day :—" Boarded Taiaroa; found water flowing in and out of the hold ; no cargo washed out ; conclude vessel dam- j aged in bottom, otherwise intact. Cargo can b« landed easily if fin* weather prevaili." The following is a list of the drowned and saved, so far as it has been possible to ascertain :—

PASSING KRS DBOWNID. Mm G. G. Fitzgerald, Mra Jeitie Game (or Frawr}, Wm. \V»rd (Torp«do Instructor), R. U. yalltnce, Enkino Galbr.iith, Georg* Hawkin, George Smith, James ForKOioa Murray, John Harboard, E. Bray Wrigley (W.Uington), AUx. Martin (Weiliugton.)

rASSZN'GIRS SAVXI). Serße*nt Gnrat (A.C.). Constable Me Quarter, Permanent Torpedo Corps, R. Henderson, J. Harper, Gilbert Hutton, ThomM Oliver.

CREW DROWNED. R. Monkman, chief officer : J. Powell, second officer ; T. Stratford, second engineer ; K. Spooner, purser ; F. Hill, lamp-trimmer ; J . Jones. R. Williams J5. McMillan, P. Hansen, J. McPhee, able seamen ; U. McDonough, R. Irvine, firemen ;J. Hunter, R. YVilluins, trimmer* ; T, Dolaney, R. Bathgate, stewards ; M. A. Brown, stewardess ; G. (£allechan, chief cook ; W. Kellan, second cook.

ORKW SAVED. George Thompson, captain; Sam. Dalrymple, chief engineer; J. Fielder, chief steward; Duncan Campbell, second steward; Wm. Tain (or Cain), donkeyman ; J. West, carpenter. J. McKay, A. 13. ; Win. Quran, boy. It is not at pressnt quite certaiu whether there were not several others on board. The special reporter of the Post, telegraphing from the scene of the wreck, says: —There" it little doubt that the stranded Taiaroa was hugging the shore ton closely. Further telegrams fron Kekerangu nay another body wa» found south of Flaxburn, making nine in all recovered. The followhave been indentified : —Robert Monkman, first officer j James Powell, fecund officer ; Alex. Martin, passenger. The position of the wreck is unaltered, The steamers Wjinaka, Penguin and Wakatu visited the wreck this morning. Captain Williams surveyed it on behalf of the Union Company, and decided to abandon it to the Underwriters' Association. She showed every appearance of her bottom being clean gone, through working on the boulders. Tho Waihi, with the captain and those saved in bis boat from the wreck of the Taiaroa, arrived here this evening from Blenheim. Very little additional information has been elicited, but it is known that there were five women on board the ill-fated vessel. These were: Messrs Fitzgerald, Mrs Jessie Game, Mrs Gibbs, saloon passengers from Wellington, a steerage passenger (name unknown), and the stewardess M. A. Browne. So far as can be ascertained those on board numbered 47, being 20 passengers and 27 of the crew. The number saved was 14, thus leaving 33 drowned. Arrangements are being made to send the Grafton to the wreck tomorrow. Mr Fielder, chief steward, will be a passenger in order to identify the bodies washed up on the beach. An attempt will also be made to get possession of the mails which are stowed away in the after hold.

Blenheim, Tuesday. The preliminary enquiry commenced last night. Captain Thomson said the Taiaroa left Wellington on Sunday morning, but on account of the strong N.W. wind kept quarter point in more than usual until two &m., when they were abreast of Cape arapbell, and the course was altered. Suddenly the wind chopped round to the S.E. It was raining heavily, blowing turd, and the sea got up quickly. He was on deck till 0.30, and nhe then appeared to be a good distance otf the land. The mate was on the bridge. He told the mate if he thought the vessel wm getting closer in, or the weather came on thick so as to lose sight of land, to let him know. About seven the mate reported that he could see land on the port bow. Witnou ran on deck. They were putting the helm hard a-starboaid when he got there. He stopped the steamer and went full speed astern. She took ground at the same time. The chief engineer came up and said it was useless going further astern, as she was making water. The captain then detailed the measures taken for saving life. Jaraei West, carpenter, deposed that the sea was breaking right over the bridge, and there was a heavy sea on deck before they left. The vessel bumped heavily the whole time after she struck. Samuel Dalrymple stated that when the engines stopped there was four feet of water. Witness then went on deck, and on returning to the engine-room a few minutes later found that there was six feet of water, and that the fires were out. John Maokay, who was on the watch as look-out forward, said the vessel seemed to ha a proper distance off land when passing Cape Campbell. Witness bad hteered the same course on the Taiaroa for 14 months. The depositions will be forwarded to

Wellington. Kkkeiungu, Tuesday. Search parties from Kekerangu and Flaxburn were out all yesterday. Up to the present time eight bodies have come ashore. Three are at Wood back, two being aeainen and one apparently an engineer. There is not the slightest probability of any other lives being saved. Grant and Hutton, who were washed ashore, are progressing favourably, but McQuarter is still weak and suffering from long exposure. One boat was found Hinashed on the beach, with one dead body it it wearing an officer's uniform. It is supposed to be that of Stratford, the third engineer, and the body found at the same place is supposed to be that of a passenger. Hutton says the steamtr struck three times on an open, big bnuldered beach shortly after seven. At half-past seven the passengers and crew were ordered into the boats, four in number, which were fastened to the stern. They remained there till twelve when they were upset. The captain is stated to nave told the passengers that they were within five miles of the Kaikouras. It is stated that there wm only one racket tired. Had lights and rockets been used continuously help would speedily have been obtained from the workmen at Clarence River bridge, who saw the steamer's light, bilt took no further notice of it. Mr Piper, who left the Taiaroa at Wellington, and came to Lyttelton in the Te Anau, said that from the newspaper description he identifies the body in the brown suit as Mr Murray, formerly * schoolmaster in Otago, nnd who resided in Nelson a year. There is not much doubt that had the passengers *nd crew stuck to the vessel they would nave been saved. Hutton states that many were sustained by the lifa belts only to die from the severity of the night. There was not the slightest confusion, and perfect order prevailed, there not being even a scream from the ladies. One boat tried to effect a landing, but returned to the vessel and reported that they were opposite a high bluff; but this was a mistake, undoubtedly caused through the darkness.