S.S. KAIPARA DOCKED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 727, 28 January 1910, Page 8

S.S. KAIPARA DOCKED.

NINETY FEET OF PLATES TORN. ESTIMATED DAMAGE, .£21),000. - IBy Telegrann.—Press Asaoelatlon.l Auckland, January 27. , The Eaipara was towed into the Calliope Dock this morning, the tug Terawhiti being alongside keeping down the yater. By 6 :p.m.,'the dock had been pumped dry, and an inspection of,'the Kaipara was able to be made.. : The damage done is- considerable for ■ some thirty yards on the .starboard side. Right on the bilge is a rip measuring,-in some places,, fully 18 inches wide, and it'gives some idea of the fonse with which the vessel , struck the obstruction which barred;her way in the ohannel. -The rip, starts at • the 1 rolling -chock from the: shoulder,- about 30 feet from the bow, \ftiere the two plates ' meet,' the- plate being bulged in some 20 inches "from out of-, the ourve. For about-80 or 90 feet theplates are opened, the lower plate being, forced in upon the upper, ana numerous rivets being' torn out.; Six feet' of the rolling chock .is :curved right back. tho vessel struck the. obstruction a second time, for, a little aft of the rolling chock,. about, amidships, right under ■ the ' floor for'ard, is < another rip extending some '20 feet. Several plates are here bulged in, but the rivets are not gone. Between 40 and 50 new plates will be required. The rip, which is a horizontal one,'is over :3 feet above ! the : keel,"and quite "20 feet below the waterline. The -Kai para's keel appears to be quite [ undamaged; and, also the port side. "It ; is estimated -that the damage to the ves-' sel means fully .£20,000. , - - There 'is still some 6ft.. of water in the: vessel. Nos.: 2 . and" 3 holds were cleared of .their cargo (which' included the. once frozen mutton) whilst out in the bay, and there'now only remains'to. be clearedpart; of .No. .1, and- Nos.:'i' and S.: No. 1 hold, which contains wet' wool, mil ,bo ; cleared almost-immediately, but Nos. l and 5, which are in'the, undamaged portion of the; vessel, ivill be left- untouched for tiio present.: . All the salySge .men. have been paid off,'but a.few will.shortly I be re-engaged to discharge No: 1 hold. ; Yesterday -afternoon; 1 a party,, consisting of Captain "Clayton and,-Mt. Ashton fljloyd's 1 representatives),, Captain Baylor (Salvage" Association), Captain ; Plnnket' (New Zealand. Underwriters' -Association), and Mr. C. Y. Houghton (local manager of ' the - New Zealand .Shipping - Company), inspected .the, exterior of: tho vessel, but, owing to .the/cargo, preventing -them from getting inside, .they.nere unable to form •any estimate of; the;damage, and -it will probably bo some timo before this is arrive<l at. It is more than probable that tho Kaipara will take fully three months to repair, but; no contract, for the work, can be. let until/some idea is obtained "as to the full extent:of the damage. :.. !~< The. inquiry into . the mishap -will be held at 10 o'clock to-morrow, before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., and Captains Post and Read. ' - ; - '