ACCIDENT TO THE MARAROA.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 486, 20 April 1909, Page 4

ACCIDENT TO THE MARAROA.

THE WELLINGTON-LYTTELTON .FERRI SHtVICE. . : (DY TELEaKATH—rUESS ASSOCUITION.)-

Chrlstohurch, April 19. This morning, while the engines of tho feny steamer .mararoa wero being, examinod, tho ' startling discovery was made 1 that the thrust shaft was broken .right' across. r There had been no previous intimatibu of the fracture. The vessel had made good steaming timo on . her last run down from Wellington tho engines working well and without a hitch. Sho left Wellington at 11.5 p.m. on Saturday, and , reached' Lyttelton at 11.10 a.m. yesterday. Tho break in tho shaft was a somewhat extraordinary one. Usually a fracturo in a vessel's shaft is,a. longitudinal or diagonal, ono, and in that would bo:pS£sible to'put tho' patent coupling on, but in tho present, case of tho Mararba it would have been impossible ' ' to have done this. It improbable that had it not been discovered this morning tho break would have'made its presence felt xhen the. , vessel madoa start to leave tho wharf;, Had . tho vessel got away to sea before it was discovered the break would have rendered hor. helpless! and sho would have gone adrift. Tho . manager of the Union Steam Ship Company states tliat tlio 'break'"'is* a .very serious one, and \rill probably'keep tlie'vessel tin port fora week wnilo;a : neW thrust' shafts is; being fitted; ' As there is no other'vessel available to-day to take up the running of tho . Mararoa, there will be no ferry steamer leaving Lyttelton for Wellington to-night.'; Tho Union Company has, however, mado necessary arrangements to enable a servico to bo maintained after to-day, the Waikare, leaving. .Wellington, to-morrow, night,, will,- await tlio'arrival of tho'northern? express, Arid will sail at 8 p.m. for Lyttelton. Tho. Mahono leaving Lyttelton for Wellington on Wednesday ovening will await tlio arrival of tho first express, from,. Dunedin.' The Pateena will leave .Wellington on-.Thursday;' night at; 8 o'clock,' and mil continue in the ferry service , until tho Mararoa is roady to resumo run. ning. •• ' : '■ ....