SHIPPING CASUALTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2203, 5 October 1907, Page 2

SHIPPING CASUALTY.

THE HAZEL CRAIG’S LEAK. Tho steel barque Hazel Craig, loc-ally-owned, which returned to port on Thursday evening in consequence of a leakage, was surveyed yesterday as .she lay at tho Kniti" wharf. Cantain T. Clirisp, Lloyd’s surveyor locally, made tho inspection on behalf of tho owner. As the outcome',' it was arranged to havo tho sand 'ballast, some 200 tons, bagged up and removed on shore for use later <n. This will enable the limber boards to be stripped off and tho extent of tho damago or leakago ascertained, if ■possible. lit is possible that tho v< s■sel may havo to proceed to Auckland for repairs, there being no tcciiing facilities locally. When tho leakage was discovered at 10 a,m. on Wednesday tlio vessel was off Awunui. As tho pumps >vero unworkable, and tliero was rough 'weather ahead, tho crow intimated their desire to liiako back for port, and tlio captain had no alternative but to comply. Had tho woanhor conditions been more favorable it might havo been possible to quioily slip along to Auckland for repairs. AVhon tho water in tho hold incroisod, tlio cross-sectional timber intended to keep tho ballast from shifting got awash, and tho sand was scattered promiscuously. This was particularly tho caso in tho forehead part of tho hold, tho after-part not being affected to any extent. Tho crew rigged up a block-aml-tackle over tho main hatch, and got to work baling as a bucket brigade. This was efficacious in keeping tho water down, and a similar courso was followed in regard to tho after-hold, whero tlio water had not made the same encroachment. Onco tho vessel got in the sheltered water of tho coast matters wero easier for the men, as tlio leakage almost ceased and tlio water was reduced to a few inches.

Tho vessel did not make any water yesterday, so that the leakago is apparently not serious.