JUN 19: AUCKLAND: The 13,415-ton Canadian-Australasian liner Niagara, veteran ship of the Pacific trade, was sunk as the result of striking a mine off the coast in the early hours of the morning.
All 146 passengers and 203 members of the crew took to the boats without mishap and were later picked up by rescue ships.
The passengers, all of whom were awakened by the explosion, assembled rapidly at the boat stations and the doomed ship, which was gradually sinking by the head, was abandoned without trace of panic.
Clad in their night attire, men, women and even infants took their places in the boats as darkness gave way to a misty dawn and the 18 lifeboats, scattered over an area of about a square mile, awaited the rescue ships which steamed at full speed in answer to the sinking ship's call for help.
Within a few minutes of the explosion distress signals were sent by radio and rocket flares rose into the sky.
The Niagara met her end swiftly. With water pouring through gaping plates near her bows, she was transformed within a matter of minutes from a proud liner to a sinking ship without hope of salvation.
In the scenes that followed all were heroes and nothing but praise for the conduct of the ship's company and passengers was heard in the rescue ships packed with survivors.
Swiftly organised and promptly carried out, the work of the rescue ships resulted not only in all the crew and passengers being picked up without mishap, but also in their arrival at Auckland by an overseas liner about 7 o'clock to-night.
A flotilla of large and small vessels was employed at the task.
In practically every case they left their bases before daylight and did not return until long after nightfall.
When the Niagara's distress call was received, radio advice was flashed to an overseas liner off the New Zealand coast to divert her course and proceed at full speed to render aid to the stricken liner.
Other small vessels and a supercharged motor boat attached to the Royal New Zealand Air Force base also raced north.
The ship disappeared beneath the water at 5.32 and acting on orders the 18 boats kept comparatively close together.
The discovery of a mine in the locality where the liner Niagara was sunk early this morning shortly after sailing from Auckland was revealed by the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) in the House of Representatives shortly before 5.30 p.m.
The statement followed an earlier reference to the loss of the liner.
"One of the first steps that were taken very early this morning was the immediate despatch of mine-sweepers to the locality, and I have now been advised by the naval authorities that already a mine has been swept up," the Prime Minister said.
"This answers any question as to how the Niagara met her fate.
All the necessary steps are already being taken to dispose of the menace in this locality and to ensure that no further losses shall occur from this cause."