“No Cyclone Warning When anganella Left”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29511, 12 May 1961, Page 14

“No Cyclone Warning When anganella Left”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 11. “No cyclone warning was given when the Wanguiella left Sydney last Friday," Mid the vessel’s master, Captain W. H. Uttley today. Other ships left Sydney around the same time, said Captain Uttley. The seas were not very heavy although they worsened later. The Wanganella was 15 hours out when struck by the “freak wave” after heaving-to when seas rose during the night.

The gale warning was given only a short time before the ship was struck by the wave. Captain Uttley said that a gale was classed as force 7-8 while a cyclone was 10-12.

Mr S. A. Marris, manager of Huddart Parker, said today that an expensive car and a station waggon which had three inches of water in it were carried on deck at the owners’ risk and this had been pointed out when the owners signed the cars on board .

The owner of the ear saw Mr Marris yesterday and arranged to have his car shipped back to Sydney on Friday, Mr Marris said. A station waggon lashed on the hatch .broke loose when the ship was struck by the freak wave and smashed into the car. in doing so, the station waggon broke a window. he said. Mr Marris said that the ear, being on deck, the salt water coming over the ship would have entered through the broken window. They were the only two vehicles on deck.

Eight of the 46 cars In the holds were damaged. Also in the hold were a number of animals which did not suffer during the trip. An offer of rental cars, to damaged-car owners here on

tour was made today. This appeared to apply only to the owner of the expensive car who left Wellington late yesterday before the offer could be announced, said Mr Marris. It was still open to those concerned. Bewildered car owners, many of whom had expected to be on their way to North Island destinations, congregated on Queen’s wharf this morning to inspect the damage to their cars. Six of them declared heir vehicles, at a total value of about £5OOO, to be complete write-offs.

They said they had visited the Wellington office of Huddart Parker, Ltd., and were told that the company was liable only for a voyage liability of £lOO a car. The owners agreed to seek legal opinion. Damage Evident

The damage became more evident as the ears were unloaded. As they came out over the side, watersiders let out surprised gasps. One car, with one of its sides unscratched, evoked the comment, “that’s one that got off lightly.” Opinions were reversed when it was swung around, revealing the other side to be completely stove in from radiator to tail light.

The owner of the most expensive car to be damaged, was missing from today’s gathering. He is reported to have walked off the wharf saying his car could be thrown over the side. Evidence that there was considerable water swishing around in the hold is shown by the number of cars that have straw and horse manure covering their chassis and round their motors. One vehicle had all its carpeting soiled.

The owner of a station waggon, Mr L. Armfield, who had recently purchased the Vehicle for £l3OO, showed a

reporter some three inches of water lying on the floor. One of the biggest problems encountered by harbour board staff and watersiders was how to move the badlydamaged cars once they were on the wharf. In some instances the body was crushed over the rear wheels and the wheels would not turn. After several attempts to shift them with a fork lift and a tractor, they were eventually dragged away by the tractor.

Insurance Position

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 11. The position about insurance of motor vehicles shipped across the Tasman or the shipowners' liability was too involved to be explained in a short space, said an official of the Automobile Association (Wellington) today. Briefly, it was that the shipowners’ liability in respect of a car carried in the hold, uncrated, was limited to £lOO, but it was open to the car owner to take out marine insurance, as he could for cargo by sea in general. “Insurance, however, was by no means taken out by all who had their cars on board the Wanganella upon what developed as a particularly stormy trip,” he said.