Ship Adrift Off The Chatham Islands

Chronicle (Levin), 13 May 1948, Page 7

Ship Adrift Off The Chatham Islands

— CHR18TCI1URCH, May 12. The 675 tons niotorsliip Port Waikato is driftiug about 40 miles olf the Chatham Isiands with her propellor touled by a wire hawser. A radio mes sage reporting that the vessel had broken down, was received from the master, Captain C. A. Keith, by the owners, Holm and Company Ltd., at 5 o 'clock tliis morning. Arrangements were made for the Cnion Bteam Bliip Company 's motorship Kamo to go to tlie assistauce of the Port Waikato and tane her in tow. She left Lyttelton at 4 p.m. today and is expected to' reacli the Port Waikato 011 Friday morning. Tlie Port Waikato had previously reported that she was sailing from Waitangi 011 Mouday evening with 12 pas sengers, 1200 slieep, 54 bales of wool and general cargo. Advice was received todav that the small vessel Manuka which carries fisli from the Chatham Isiands to Wellington, was standing by the Port Waikato. Tlie manager of Ilolm and Company, Captain S. Holm, said today that advice had been received. from the Port Waikato that the weather had been bad but was moderating fast. There ai)[icared to be no great danger to the vessel and if tlie weather moderated il miglit be jiossible to clear tlie hawser from the propeller. With fine weathei a rojie could be put down and the hawser heaved olf by a winch. When the request was made that tio Kamo should be sent to the assistauce she was almost fully laden with general ■argo for Wellington. A small quan ■ titv of cargo was sliut out to enable tiovessel to prepare for her trip to tlie "hatham Isiands. Extra stores and water were taken in and a long 4Jin. -teel towing hawser was put aboard The hatelies were oyiened up and the -argo was inspeeted again to see that ii -as safely stowed. Tlie Kamo cleared ihe moles at Lyttelton at 3.35 p.m. She ;s a motorshii) with a speed of 14 knots •md is of 1500 tons.- gross. She was originally the Gaarden and was built 'n 1043 for the dennan Navy. She was allotted to the New Zealand Govern nient by the Inter-Allied Reparations \gency and was purehased by tlie rTnion Sieam Ship Company after being •eeonditioned. Tlie Port Waikato, a motorship of 675 i^ons gross, is 1S0 feet long and wa« built in 1020 bv ITenry Eobb Ltd. Leitli. Tliis is her last voyage to the nhatliams until tlie spring.