TUG WESTLAND

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1929, Page 6

TUG WESTLAND

HOKITIKA STRANDIXG

HARBOUR. BOARD'S DISCUSSION

(“Argus” Report)

At Tuesday night’s meeting of the Greymouth Harbour Board, the secretary (Air \V. B. Gilbert), read a report from the Harbour A Taster (Captain Cox) anent the stranding of the tug on the sand bank at Hokitika, when going to the assistance ol the scow Zingara.

Air AY. Clayton asked whether the tug carried a rocket, and on being informed that it did, asked if it was not possible to get a line to the Zingara without going inside the bar. Ca.pt. Cox: Oh, no! It would lie about 900 yards from outside the bar to where the Zingara was.

The Chairman : What distance would the gun fire? Captain Cox: About 300 yards. The Chairman: What Air Clayton is desiring to know, is whether we could have towed the Zingara from outside the bar. Capt. Cox: No we couldn’t. Wo luid the same job with the Elsie and in her ease we bad to get inside the spit- before we could get hold of her at all. She was about the same distance inside the bar as Hie Zingara. Tf I bad not- been given wrong information I could have got the Zingara off within twenty minutes. Mr Clayton: How far will the gun throw a rope ? Capt. Cox: 300 yards. When we wont to the Elsie, we did not have a gun. but one has been obtained since. Air Ryall: Is the gun in good order? Capt. Cox: Yes; quite all right. The Chairman: You consider von couldn’t put a tow line aboard the Ziimara with the gun? Capt. Cox; No. Because there was nobody on board the tug that could use the gun. Even if there bad been wo couldn’t have put it across as wo did not have a sufficient length oj rope. Ary line was only 600 feet m length, 100 fathoms, which is the proper length of a. tow line. Mr Ryall: It seems useless to have a rocket, and no one can use the gun. The Chairman: Have you taken steps, Captain Cox. to get- someone who can use the gun? Captain Cox: I have coached some of the men and was under the impression that -thev had coached up others. At the time we left here the man that could use. the gun was unavailable to go with us. as he was on night duty. T am taking steps to have men eoaohoi. to the use of the gun. The Chairman pointed out that if the gun had been '’ere it would not have been of use. as it was necessary for the tug to go into the river. Mr Greenslade: I t is not that that matters: but it is a mail.r for any other eases that may arise.