WRECK OF THE KIA ORA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2377, 18 December 1908, Page 5

WRECK OF THE KIA ORA.

FURTHER. DETAILS. [Press Association.] , AUCKLAND, Dec. 17. Fred. Gossset, the. sole survivor of the wrecked scow Kia Ora, arrived at Auckland last night. He states that (Captain Piercy was at the wheel when the vessel struck. There were furious gale squalls and drenching rain, and it was impossible to see fifty yards. The captain evidently thought he had passed Kawau. The scow suddenly crashed upon the rocks, and broke her hack. Cosset (lilled the cook 'from his bunk, but directly the cook reached the deck he was washed overboard. Cosset never saw him again. 'The other three men ■were washed off the scow, hut scrambled on to the rock. The captain and his soil had lifebelts on, hut discarded them owing to the difficui’ty of e’ingiing to the rock. Cosset was washed off the rock, hut returned with the ibackwnsh. The captain’s son was twice washed off the reek, and the captain was -washed off once, hut both got hack to their perilous refuge. It was midnight when the scow struck. From then till 7 in the morning the three men remained on the rock. Then Gosset shook hands with the shipper and his son, and struck out for the shore, 'Which was not far distant. "When Rilf-way ashoro ho heard them call, but was too exhausted to stop. When the chances seemed aM against him he felt the sharp rocks under his feet, and crawled to the cliff. He looked for the captain and his son. hut snw no sign of them. He made his way to a. cottage, and received every attention. The captain and his son must have been washed off the rock, or drowned in the attempt to follow G-osset’s example in swimming ashore. A search party was unable to find any trace of the bodies of tho missing men. RELIEF FOR THE SURVIVOR, DUNEDIN, Dec. 17. In response to a request from Captain Fleming, the Shipwreck Relief Society has decided to vote £o for tho relief of Gosset, the sole’survivor of the Kia Ora wreck.