Our shipping reporter supplies the following account of the disaster:-
With fine weather, a considerable quantity of cargo, and a very large number of passengers from all parts of the Colony, the Union Steam Ship Company's steamer Tararua left the Railway Pier at Port Chalmers on the afternoon of Thursday, April 28th, bound for Bluff as her first port of call.
No danger was anticipated, and many of the passengers were very jocular in parting with their friends.
Unfortunately, however, on Friday afternoon, news reached Dunedin by telegram that the vessel had gone on shore somewhere between Slope and Waipapa Points.
Mr J. Mills, the managing director of the Union Company, at once telegraphed directions to Port Chalmers to have the steamer Hawea in readiness to proceed to the scene of the disaster, while Mr Monkman issued orders to have her victualled for four days for 200 persons.
She cleared the Heads at 5.45 p.m. on that day, and experienced thick hazy weather with fresh N.E. winds along the coast.
About 6.40 a.m. on Saturday, a flash-light was seen inshore, and the Hawea found the ketch Prince Rupert (Capt. Hanning), which had one of the Tararua's lifeboats alongside. The boat's crew were at once taken on board the Hawea and supplied with every necessary. Meanwhile she steamed steadily on for the shore, and on nearing it it became evident that the unfortunate Tararua had gone.
For miles around the sea was covered with wreckage - mail-bags, cargo, cabin furniture, clothing of every description.
As soon as possible the Hawea lowered her boats and sent them away, in order to recover the mails and search for traces of bodies; while Captain Cameron left the ship in the Tararua's boat, and proceeded along the beach until he reached Boat Harbour, where he landed, in order to ascertain how persons had been saved, and to make provision for their comfort.
The boats of the Hawea were busily engaged in recovering mail-bags and other property, and while doing so they picked up the body of a female infant, apparently some 15 months old.
The poor baby was laid on the quarter-deck and Mr Wm. Hill, the steerage passenger, who had come on board by the Tararua's boat, was called to see if he could identify it.
No sooner was the infant uncovered than Mr Hill recognised it as his own, and falling on the deck, clasped the little creature to his arms. The poor man's agony was so great that he fainted away, and was conveyed to the fore-cabin, where he received every attention from Mr J. Hull, the fore-cabin steward, who did his utmost for the comfort, not only of Mr Hill, but of the remainder of the wrecked people, whom he supplied with clothing of his own.
Captain Sundstrom, of the s.s. Kakanui, informed Captain Cameron that he had arrived off the scene of the wreck on Friday night, but had seen nothing of the ship. Towards morning, however, he saw lights inshore, and as soon as the Hawea arrived he placed his vessel at Captain Cameron's disposal, who employed him in towing in the lifeboats towards Boat Harbour.
The Tararua when she left Port Chalmers was in splendid order. She carried five first-class boats, which would have been sufficient, had proper care been exercised, to have saved every soul on board.
To an error of judgment, therefore, on the part of Captain Garrard (who, however, died as a British seaman should at his post) must be ascribed the loss of the ship, passengers, and crew; for it is most evident, from all we hear, that had he kept out a little longer he must have been clear of the dangers which threatened him.
Various statements are afloat as to the confusion which ensued after the Tararua struck, but be these as they may, it is most evident that Captain Garrard succeeded in restoring order and confidence.
A strong proof of this is the fact that a considerable time after she struck the reef, the chief cook went below and prepared breakfast for the passengers, which was served to them, and after this, Captain Garrard removed the whole of the females and children to the smoking-room in front of the bridge, deeming, we presume, they would be safe there until assistance arrived.
Meantime - and here we think the error of judgment creeps in - he got out the boats, but instead of placing passengers and crew in them and standing to seaward, he suffered them to make for the reef, the consequence of which was a loss of life.
Briefly, then, to recount what was done after the vessel struck, we may say that a boat was first got out on the starboard side, and while she was being lowered away from the davits a sea struck her and stove her in. Luckily, the men got back to the ship.
After a little delay, Captain Garrard succeeded in getting a boat out on the port side and getting her round to the starboard side. This boat left the ship in charge of Mr Maloney, the second officer, and, in addition to his crew, he took two men who were swimmers, in order that the news might be conveyed on shore and assistance procured.
On nearing the shore, James Maher, the engineers' storekeeper of the Tararua, jumped overboard and made for the reef, which he gained with great difficulty.
It then became evident that nothing could be done in the way of landing there, and as a man had already reached the store and communicated with the settlers, Mr Maloney returned to the ship, and again left her with six of the passengers, all of whom stated they could swim. On nearing the reef again these men sprang overboard, and three of them succeeded in getting ashore. The others perished.
James Maher then swam back to the boat, and was taken on board in a state of great exhaustion, and Mr Maloney proceeded again towards the ship, which, however, it was impossible to get to in consequence of the heavy seas that were sweeping over her.
He therefore deemed it advisable to put out seaward, in order to procure assistance from any passing vessel, and we may reasonably suppose that the ill-fated Tararua broke up about 4 o'clock on Saturday morning, April 30th.
At about that time her light was last seen by Mr Maloney, and the tide being high, it is presumed she then went to pieces.
The place where the Tararua went ashore was on the Waipapa Point, a reef a little below the Otara reef, and close to a boat harbour.
It was later established that 131 passengers and crew members perished, in what was this country's worst merchant marine disaster.