THE PENGUIN DISASTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2432, 22 February 1909, Page 5

THE PENGUIN DISASTER.

THE UNION COMPANY’S DONATION.

[Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Feb. 20. The Union Company has given £SOO to the Penguin Relief Fund, quite apart from the prospective legai liability. There seems to be a doubt as to the identification of the body recovered yesterday. Deceased -was between 25 and 35 years of age. A discharge was found in his pocket bearing the name, “George Cooper, seaman, formerly belonging to the steamer Komata.” Cooper’s name did not appear among the list of the vessel’s crew, and it is thought possible' the discharge may not be his. The body is in height bit 21 n; of dark complexion and hair, stout build, shorn nose, pointed chin, irregular teeth, d essed in a dark cloth coat, with side pockets, no waistcoat, and dark tweed trousers. BODIES IDENTIFIED. WELLIN 4 TON. Feb. 21. A very heavy s ntilierly. with a rough sea. was blov ing to-day at the scene of the Penguin wreck. This afternoon, another body, identified as that of Noel White, a passenger from Blenheim, came ashore two miles from the city side of Oterangi Bay. The body recovered yesterday lias lieoii identified as Edwin Herbert Hull, second cook on the Penguin. _ His father resides at Hope, in the Nelson district. The remains will be interred in Wellington. The body picked up on Friday and stated to lie that of George Cooke, is now stated by the police to be Forth Rotherham Cook, aged 20, son of Mr. Cook, solicitor, 'Wanganui, whither the remains are being sent for burial. THE RELIEF FUND. The relief fund is now nearly £llOO. A benefit matinee of the “Rod Mill yesterday, by the Williamson Opera Company, realised nearly £3OO. MEMORIAL SERVICES.

An impressive service in memory of the victims by the late wreck of the s.s. Penguin was held in the Baptist Tabernacle last evening. There was a large congregation, and the pastor (the Rev. W. Lamb) occupied the pulpit. Taking as his text Ecclesiastes 12, d. “Because man goeth to his long home; and the mourners .go about the streets,” the preacher delivered a solemn and touching address. He referred to the wreck as a national catastrophe, for ft 'touched people iu every part of this land. It was a sad instance of the suddenness with which death sometimes approaches, but it was comforting to know that those who lost their lives had had a period of an hour in which to make their peace yivit-h their Maker before entering Eternity. He touched briefly on the quiet courage and heroism with which the passengers met their fate, and it was a gratifying feature of our race, he said, that the many uirts of it could face death in almost any form without fear or flinching.- The disaster had its lessons for others, and it could be plainly sicr. that God was speaking through the c./amity. There was at the present time too much of a tendency towards m.-tt rialism. Matters eternal were neglected for matters temporal, and ihe humility iand reverence due to the Creator were things rapidly being, forgotten. The preacher concluded with an appeal fo his congregation to learn the lessons to he drawn from the disastei, and to prepare themselves to meet death at onv time without hesitancy or fear. -Prior to tho sermon the orchestra played tho “Dead Mare.i from “Saul.” the congregation standing, -and during .the collection tfie choir sane “Crossing ihe i>ai, to a setting by C. H. H. Barry. Ben ore the service commenced tho choir, unaccompanied, sang the hymn “Days and Moments .Quickly T lying, and an unaccompanied male quartet sing “Sleep on Beloved.” Hv.nns aipiop via to to the occasion wore used throughout the service. Appropriate reference was made last, evening , at the evoi ng service in the Salvation Army Citadel to the wreck of the s.s. Penguin, by.which disaster one of the oldest soklitrs of the local corps, who has been r.u.ent from Gisborne for some time, lest Ins life. Several brief and t uich ng addresses were given, and the |. nl,a pl-aved the “Dead March from “Saul.” • . ■