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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE PATEENA—WHAT IS WUONG?

Sir.—Wo wish to draw public attention to the proviaontial escape of tlie s.s. Pntceim on her run from Piclon to Wellington to-day. Our only reason for doing so is that it is quite possible that the incident would otherwise be hushed ■'up. On entering the Wellington Heads, when iust abreast of PcucarroT Light, the Pnteona suddenly swerved out of her course, and made a direct line for a most uninviting reef or rods lying to the westward. After apparently a vain effort to steor clear was'made, the engines were reversed, ana' the ship brought to a standstill about twenty or thirty yards cwav. l-ivcrvone on deck was prepared for a sudden'strike; but fortunately the ship reversed her direction only in time, and receded from the danger zone. With a souther'iv blowing or in the night-time nothing would, or could, have prevented' a possible serious state of affairs. As it was. one could easily have thrown a stc.iic on to the jock. Proceeding up the harbour, the ship steered an uncertaincour.se, which could not. be ueseribed as other than a zig-zag.' On rounding the point towards Uvaiis Hay the ship once more veered away to the left, or westward, and seemed to wish to spend the night in Kvnns Bay. And again vigorous back-pedalling brought her back on to the straight path. • We don't know what was the. matter, but we ask, in common fairness to the travelling public, that before this boat puts out Co-morrow some inquiry be held and the cause ascertained Nothing happened, but the passengers know how very nearly a tragedy might have occurred. This letter is a" true statement of fact, with nothing exaggerated; and we consider it. our duty to publish this, as the boat seemed to us quite out of control.— We are. etc., K. NOULE-AIWJIS. 1,. K. COLLIER, J. G. IiACON. November 4. [The statements in the above letter were brought under the notice of Mr. Kennedy, local manager of the Union Company. 'Mr. Kennedy stated that apparently the Pateeiu's' steering gear, which is worked by a steam-engine, had become lammed. Yesterday, before tliePe.tecua. set. out on her return trip to Nelson, a thorough examination was made of |he engine, but no fault eoulo. be found. Further, when the vessel was going down the harbour, the steering gear was given a rigid trial, but everything worked smoothly, and so the vessel went on her voyage. Mr. Kennedy added that it is the intention of the company's engineers

to thoroughly overhaul the steering engine on the vessel's arrival back from the present trip.l

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19191106.2.89

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 36, 6 November 1919, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
437

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 36, 6 November 1919, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 36, 6 November 1919, Page 8

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