S.S. TONGARIRO STRIKES A ROCK

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2864, 31 August 1916, Page 6

S.S. TONGARIRO STRIKES A ROCK

BETWEEN GISBORNE AND NAPIER VESSEL IN A PRECARIOUS CONDITION REPORTED TO BE SINKING ... Advice was received by the Post Office authorities last evening to the e'fl'cct that the New Zealand Shipping Company's big steamer Tongariro, bound from London to Wellington, via Aot'kland, had struck a rock during the run between Gisborne and Napier, and that tho steamers Westralia and Arahura had left to go to tho assistance of tho liner. Messages received later from Napier and Gisborne reported that tho vessel was in a bad way, the polico at Wairoa being responsible for tho statement that the ship was sinking rapidly. Owing to tho situation of the vessel and the fact that her wireless servico ceased to work soon after sho struck, the information to hand is somewhat disjointed, but all mossages point to tho fact that the big steamer is in critical position. Latest advices state that tho sea near the scene of tho mishap is calm. ' '

By Telegraph— i'resa Association. Cisborne, August 30. Tho New Zealand Shipping 'Co.'s Tongariro is ashore on Bull Bosk, Portland Island, midway between Gisbornc and Napier. Sho has summoned assistance, and the Westralia arid the Calm have been dispatched post haste from Gisbarne. No further facts are available, as tho sceno is a long way ■from a telegraph station. W|RELESS DISTRESS GALL. Later. Bull Eock is four miles N.N.E._ of Portland Island, and about four miles from the shore. The Tongariro was en route from Auckland to Wellington, Auckland having been her first port of call in New Zealand. The vessel passed East Capo going south at 10.20 this morning, and would be off Portland Island between 7 and 8 o'clock. The first distress wireless call was picked up by the Westralia in Gisborne roadstead shortly before 8 o'clock, arid the messages continued until 8.10 p.m., -when one came through to say "Power failing." Five mirffi?S3 later another stated, "Not off yet," but after that the messages ceased. WESTRALIA TO THE RESCUE. The TTostralia at once ceased cargo operations and hurried south, first signalling to the steamer Calm, which was also about to leave for Napier, to keep close to the shore and be of any assistance possible. Both vessels were racing south at full _ speed within half an hoYir of receiving tho distress call. Messrs. Richardson and company's Koutuuui left Gisborne for Napier at 3 p.m., and would be close to the scene of the mishap at 8 o'clock. She is a small vessel and would probably bo able to get close to the, Tongariro. ' ,

"IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION." Messages from Wairoa indicate that tho settlers at Mahia report that tho Tongariro is about four miles off the shore in a precarious condition. The Arahura, from Napier, should reach the scene of tho mishap about midnight, shortly after the Westralia. The Westralia took, most of her passengers and cargo for Napier, but about 30 passengers, including the Allan Wilkie Shakespearean Company, and Mr. Victor Grayson, the English Socialist, were left behind. Probably the Arahura will make the journey from Gisborne to Napier to-morrow. ARAHURA DISPATCHED TO HELP. By Telegraph—Press Association. , Napier, August 30. The New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Tongariro is ashore at Buli Rock, Portland Island, near Mahia Peninsula. The vessel is reported to bo in a bad way. The Arahura loft at 8 p.m. for the scene of ths mishap. "VESSEL SINKING RAPIDLY." Napier, August 30. A telephone message from the Wairoa police station states that the Tongariro is sinking rapidly. She struck a pinnacle of Bell Rock. Tho Arahura left with the loeal manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company on board, leaving her passengers and cargo behind on the wharf. Bell Rock is about two hours' steam from Napier for ocean steamers.

VESSEL STRUGK AT 6.59. Advice received by the local office of the New Zealand Shipping pompany states that the Tongariro Struck at 6.59 p.m. on the Bull Rock, between Portland Island and Mahia Peninsula. The Tongariro left London on June 27 for-. New Zealand ports, and after an uneventful voyage reached Auckland on August' 25. She discharged 2500 tons of cargo at Auckland, and loft there at -1 p.m. on Tuesday for Wellington, where she was due this afternoon. She is a steel, twin-screw steamer of 8073 tons gross, and 5220 tons net. She is 457 feet long, and has a beam of 58 feet. She was built by Hawthorne, Leslie and Company in 1901 at Newcastle..

SCENE OF THE MISHAP. Bull Rock, where the vessel struck, is situated 3J miles south of Table Cape, which forms part of Mahia Peninsula. Mahia. Peninsula is twelve miles long, in a north and south direction, and six miles wide at the north part, forms the northern head of Hawke's Bay, and is twenty miles south of Young Nick's Head. Bull Rock, which dries ono foot at low water, is an isolated danger 3J miles north, 80 degrees east, from the south point of Mahia Peninsula, and, according to a nautical almanac, twenty fathoms will he found within one-thjrd of iv mile round it. Another reef, which dries two feet at low water, exists 1 midway between Bull Rock and the extreme end of Mahia; it appears to bo a narrow ledge extending ono cable north and south, and a channel within; its contro is two miles north, 70 degrees cast from the south extreme of Mahia; both these rocks when covered only break when there is a swell. With a high south-easterly sea running heavy breakers have been observed between Portland Island lighthouse and Bull Rock, distant about '2h miles from the island.

THE TONCARIRO'S OFFICERS. Captain Makopeaco is in command of tho Tongariro, and with him arc the following officers: —Chief, Mr. P. J. Ballard; second, Mr. J. B. Davis; third, Mr. J. Schofield; fourth, Mr. A. J. Angcll; surgeon, Dr. O'Callaglian; chief engineer, Mr. P. Woodall; second, Mr. P. Pasgate; third, Mr. P. Kitchen; fourth, Mr. J. Anderson; fifth, Mr. J. Snell; sixth, Mr. S. Morrison ; chiof refrigerating engineer, Sir. H. C. Holford; second, Mr. R. Brown; chiof steward, Mr. R. H. AVliitakcr. It

is interesting to note that Captain Makepeace was in command of the s.s. Kaipara, which was blown tip by the German' cruiser Kaiser AVilhelm dcr Grosse on August 16, 1914. THE VESSEL'S CARCO. The Tongariro was carrying 3800 tons of cargo for Wellington, 3400 tons for Lytteltou, and 1500 tons for Dunodin. Messages from Wairoa state that an easterly sea has been running for about four days, but that yesterday tho sea was calm. THE RELIEF BOATS. As soon as a message was received asking for assistance the Araliura put out from Napier, and tho Westralia from Gisborne. Tho Westralia was alongside the Tongariro at 11.30 last night, and tho Arahura was oxpeoted at 12.30 this morning.