THI TARARUA'S MAILS.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 139, 4 May 1881, Page 2

THI TARARUA'S MAILS.

We beg to thank Mr. Gray, Secretary Post Office Department, for the following important information concerning the mails: — The Hawea picked up seven bags of mail from the vrr«ck of the Tararua:—l bag, Auckland to Sydney; 1 bag, Wellington to Sydney, with enclosed mail from Nelson ; 1 bag, Wellington to Brisbane ; 1 bag, Wellington to Hobart Town; 1 bag, Christen arch to Melbourne with enclosed mails from Hoki.tika and U rey mouth ; 1 bag, Dunedin to Sydney, with en'-'osrd mail for New Caledonia ; 1 hag, Dunedin For Hobart Town, with enclosed mail from Cbristchurch; The mniis, which are, of course, very much damaged, have been opened, and the contents dried at the Port Chalmers i Post Office Of the total number of letters, about one thousand can bs delivered. The newspapers — about three j hundred — are reduced to pulp. The only { London-Bi'.ndisi correspondence sent by J the Tararua, and which w s enclosed m ! the Inverca'gill niai', was that posted at. Dunedin and Port Cb.-i liners between six a.m. and two p.m. on the day the steamer, -ailed from tin- latter port. The bulk of the correspondence for- London and foreign places from all post offices had previously b en forwarded by express to Invercargill, where the only mails for despatch by Brin' i; si and Orient steamers are made up. The Te Anau, which leaves this afternoon, wil! take on the Briudisi and <>r,ent mails. She is timer' to leave the Bluff oh the sth Mnndisi and Orient steamers leave Mel'iourae on the 10th — to-morrow week. [The following fnvercargill telegram, giving the first details of the di aster an! the list of passengers, appeared m Extras issued from this office ou Saturday : — ] j iNTPRCARGILIi, April 30. The sp j cial correspondent of the Southland News, wires from Toitoi as follows: — A rriveo" here from Wyndbam at 3 30 this (Saturday) morning. Tidings from the wrock are that a terrible disaster has happened. The Tararua struck the Otara reef about balf-a-mile from the shore, at 5 o'clock m the :norning, it is supposed m a f>g. The captain and chief mate reported below at the time when it struck. The engineer tried to reverse the engine, but broke his leg. The women rushed on deck m their night-dresses, and the heavy sea ioon washed most of thi>m away. Three boats were launched, but were swamped at once. Another got away seaward, and one came ashore, landing five or six men The steamer has parted amidships. Numbers of people have perished, and several are still clinging to the wreck. A man with a child m his arms is lashed m the rigging. A great many e-sttlers are on the beach anxious to render assistance, ani many j are turning keartsick at seeing their fel- . | low-creatures perish before their eyes, and they unable to help. The total number who are saved so far are twelve men. It is supposed that all the women *nd children hive perished. The beach is strewn with the week and cargo. Several photos have been picked up, but only ode body haj beta warned aitiore. L.&st night, '

it is said, the cries were heartrending when the people ou the wreck saw those on shore leaving at dark. The William Ackers was wrecked on the same reef foar years ago. The Gothenburg previously struck on it.