FULL MONTH'S WAGES AND LAST MESSAGE FROM KOOMBANA ?

The West Australian Perth, Friday 19 April, 1912.

THE KOOMBANA.

PRELIMINARY INQUIRY.

A preliminary inquiry into the loss of the

steamer Koombana will be opened at

Fremantle on Monday next.

The following is a copy of the circular

which the committee are sending out:

"Dear Sir,-The total loss of the Koombana,

on or about March 20, in a cyclonic 

disturbance off Bedout Island, on the 

N.W. coast, with all on board, has become 

a personal loss to each of us. She was 

peculiarly our ship, trading along our coast, 

carrying our own people; her officers and 

crew were numbered amongst our own 

friends, and our hearts go out in sympathy 

with those bereft of parents and friends, 

and particularly to those who have so 

suddenly been rendered widows and 

orphans. There are cases in which 

comparatively young mothers and children 

have been left destitute, and some elderly 

people whose sole physical support has 

now been taken from them. The desire

is that the burden of their grief shall be

made as light as can be by the removal, as

far as possible, of immediate care, and the

committee has every confidence that Western 

Australia will be true to her best traditions 

and render very substantial aid to all these 

sorrow-stricken and helpless people.

Subscription lists have also been forwarded

to Adelaide. Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, 

and to every town in the State. The money is 

to be distributed after full and careful investigation 

has been made into each case. As the need 

for relief is urgent, the lists will be closed on 

May 7, and the final distribution made as soon 

thereafter as may be. In the meanwhile any 

amounts received should be forwarded to the 

Mayor or any member of the committee, or to the

the Town Clerk, Town Hall, Fremantle. 

Committee: The Mayor (Mr. F. J. McLaren); 

Mr. W. E. Moxon, Adelaide Steamship Co.; 

Mr. A. W. Leonard, Melbourne Steamship Co.; 

the secretary, Lumpers' Union, Mr. F. Rowe; 

the chairman, Chamber of Commerce, Mr. 

Tom Carter; the secretary, Seamen's Union, 

Mr. T. McShearer; Mr. W. A. Murphy. Henry 

Thos. Heynes, Town Clerk and hon. sec."

The Adelaide Steamship Company's only contribution to this agony was to extend payment due to crew until the end of March according to the Workmen's Compensation Act. I wonder what people in the modern era would say about this if it were to happen today?

VESSEL'S LAST MESSAGE.

Eastern files received by yesterday's mail

contain telegraphic, advices from Port Darwin 

dated April 9, stating that Captain Wilson, of 

the s.s. Montoro. which arrived on the morning 

of that date from Singapore, reported that a 

wireless message had been received by the 

Montoro from the Koombana about the date 

that the unfortunate Koombana was lost. The 

message was not decipherable. All that could

be made out with certainty was that the vessel

sending the message was the Koombana.

The Koombana having been lost on March

20. 

How horrifyingly close to finding out what happened, and yet so far....but there again it might not have been an accurate report...

In accordance.with the Merchants'  Shipping 

Act wages payable ,to the men ceased on that 

date. The Adelaide S.S. Co.. however, have 

decided to pay wages up to the end of the month. 

The determination of the company in this regard 

was duly conveyed to Captain Smith, the Shipping 

Master at Fremantle, who in acknowledging the 

communication, wrote as follows to the manager

of the company at Fremantle:

"I am in receipt of your letter of the 17th

inst., and have to acknowledge with thanks

receipt of your cheque for £461 4s., wages

for crew of late ss. Koombana, which will

be paid in accordance with the Merchant

Shipping Act. I am very pleased to find

that your company has been so generous in

paying the full month's wages for March,

and shall be glad.to receive the receipts for

the wages which you are paying, and which

are not included in the cheque.-Yours faithfully

Thos. W. Smith, shipping master."

As I was saying, was this good enough?  

I DON'T THINK SO!

SS Montoro - rather high out of the water - ironic. (courtesy ShipSpotting.com)

courtesy Trove

Fix this textfully, Thos. W. Smith, Shipping Master."