EXPORTS.

Grey River Argus, Issue 81, 19 July 1866, Page 2

EXPORTS.

. Per Tambo, for Hokitika ; 70 tons coal. v. That little useful steamer the Woodpecker left this port yesterday, for Okarila, at which place she will be stationed for some time as . A tug. Although her departure is to be regretted, we have nb^loulit the change will be an advantageous one "to her pwners, as the port of Okarita is now wjthput the services of any steamer whatever, and great juconvenience has been felt in consequence. The Bluff Harbor.-master notiires that about the let August tlje cask-buoy painted red' on the east cud of the Land Spit will be -removed, and a large cone-bnoy, surmounted by a staff and ball, placed there inUts stead. This will be a great iiiproyement r and. np doubt, will bo appreciated^ by those "who , visit the port. — Southland Ncibs.' ;. TUe s.s. William Miskin arrived ofF Hokitika on Sunday morning, and, after shipping f\ few- passengers, at ohep procpedtfd on her voyage tp Dunedin. - The. r/s. 'OuspAOUi.r-r-In our last issue we intimated that the Government transport /steamer Gundagui had stranded, and received considerable claniftgo .within the Pateabar, Under instnietipris from Mr Graham, , D.A. C. G*. ; Captain Linklateiy harbor-master ; A»d Mr George -Colcman, shiiwright, proceeded "to Patea, and.suryeyed the vessel on Saturday last., Tlie report shows that she has parted amidships, breaking the coveringboard plates on each side, and splitting down * tlie rounds of tUe bridges, breaking [Mwo- , planks of the sheathing on each side, _, and ' /starting the butts of the.declt-planking from ; the beams in the vicinity of the break. The ; „ huU has received no other damage. The * engines arid lioiler are uninjured, with the' exception of the breaking pf one or two small pipes of minor importance. The -vessel now lies high on the beach, and safe from further ; damage.. The surveyors are of opinion that _^/_ Vwith proper means and appliances, she might be repaired and launched in about six weeks. ... No estimate of the cost has as yet been made; and until this has been done, and the estimate placed before the Government, it is not likely they will come to a final decision aB to whether they sell or repair her. Most likely: she will again be repnircd aud placed upon the line as usual between Wangauui iwur Patep, — Wtuujanui Titritt, July 3.. ■-•'- The s. s. Keera anived at Hokitika on the ,17th inst., haying- left Dunedin at 5 p.m., June 27. On the following day, <when about forty miles south of 'the Peninsula, her main" shaft broke, whji'h compelled her, in the \ :'■' teeth of a stiff head breeze, to work up into * I^eßon's Bay under canvjis. There' v she brought to, and forwarded 'intelligence to _ the agents (Messrs Ritchie and Co,) at LytMton, of Jier mishap, w.ho at oripe despatched the p. s. Waipora to tow her to that port. >S'uo arrived there without further mishap,' ' and arrangements were made with Mr Anderson to effect the necessary repairs. Fortunately he- had just completed a new A-id powerful blast furnace, Which enabled him to undertake the work, otherwise the shaft must have begn sent to Dunedin. . The Keera was delayed a fortnight in JJyttelton', . but in the jneantinie her shaft^was welded in a most creditable wanner; and. being once more replaced, the sniart little steamer took her departure for Hokitika on the 14th inst., """N-.-j.Hd juriyed safely at the wharf at one p. m. on tiie~i?tl! r -^Tho Keera brings a general cargo andforty-tiv^passeugers, all of whom ppeak in the highest fesunsof Captain Joyce Hiid (notwithstanding her \mig passage) the - vessel under his eommand%^- Wed Coast Tinu'sl "■ ' v v .■;,; At present the entrance to Hokitika river is in a very gad state, and promises to remain HO unlcps a freshet po?nes down to clear the liar. ' vTlierc are now three channels—one, running ; round the point of the. South suit in nearly a S, W. direction, another nearly due west, whilst the third is cut through/the bar to the N r W. Th-.v two last are navigable, • although that to the. westward was alone worked yesterday; and in it was found ten feet pi water at Jiigh tide. At low water the : . entrance presents a somewhat strange appear- !;•.•*■■ fincc, intersected a? it' is by, sandbanks, be-' '*;.- tweeu" whjch tlie river current runs rapidly eutwards. • One- large bank" "extends from- ' .■■ near the old Maria several hunjlrcd yards in - * aS.W. direction, forming, /with the. end ql X ' the north spit, a deep bight within which • the water is perfectly smooth^ which contrasts strangely with tlie soothing surf on the one hand and the rapidly flowing river opt [the other; Round the point of this bank, the N.W. channel runs, and eyeu at low water looks deep bfit rather narrow 5' and -on the other side of it i is" the middle bank, a mere patch of 'sand forming, however, with another patch which lies off the point of ( thp south spit, the west channel. -Between the patch" . last named and the'spit isa.narrow .gntway,. 1 liy courtesyi called the S fj W. channel, for ;t ■^Js not navigable, although a . considerable "^ (quantity of the . jiyer water . finds a pap- <:•} sage /jbhrough it, . /Ih^oiigh the west channel the' VsfißMner Keera ';? safejy entered the river : at '■'._ one p.m^yeg,terday ; but. .it ( ' was careful pilotage, feaSked by a thorough , Jcnowledge pf the hiy^jSf the banks v that '■'\\ Alone brought her in. iWe are sorry that much «ilnnpt be-eaid of the p.s. Lioness, ", \ ••which, after taking Captaiii •Turnbull out,>idc to"the Keera, ran down to^the brigantine .-/.A • v J-'isjiatcb, CBen Eome2 ; inilcs in tho offing, •;-y. '^ud- Grought her up.abreAst Qi the bar ; but

-as.by this' tim&tKe tide was considerably out, : ajiid^the^ow-Une pfltri^d, tte Diipatch came torfpr itfLd mg'Kt; preferring to w.ait for this jday's. ti'de v than Irun nnnecesajry :.nski.-:^The* Liojies's;: however, made for the-river, as her draught wastlightcompared with that of the brigaritine > s;' i l)ut,'ke ; eping a little too far north, she grounded on.the south side of the middle bftnk, from which'-position she then "failed to extricate herself. At low water she was nearly high ami dry, but not by any' means dangerously placed, as there was deep water on both sides and ahead, Last night, Captain Turnbuli, the Deputy Harbor Master, Captain M'Gill, and Mr Gillies,~of the firm of Carey and Gilles, the ageuts, proceeded to the Spit, attended by a;"large party of men, who -were engaged for the nightto lender the vessel the neffessary assistance. "' Aiwarp was run out to the soutli spit, and preparations made to clear away' the saridfrom'under her bows.; and, as the "night" was fine, and^ fortunately continued so, the efforts rimde to float this -most 'serviceable boat were happily successful At ab&ut' a quarter to one this • morning, she found herself once more in her own. element, and now, "we are glad to say, lies at her usual mooring' place at the wharf, - having sustained 110 damage whatever to interfere with or- delay for a day her valuable services to the port. — West Coast 'Times, July 18. . /