Page 2 Advertisements Column 7

Manawatu Herald, 2 December 1902, Page 2

WADE’S WORM PIGS-the Wonderful Worm Worriers-are a safe and sure remedy, in lh boxes; sold everywhere. A Lively Experience.

On the arrival of the New Zealand Shipping Company’s s.s. Rakaia at Plymouth information was received in London that the passengers on board and the crew had had a lively experience after leaving Teneriffe, writes a London correspondent. One day out from Santa Cruz, and on the 15th inst.—so a report telegraphed to London ran—- “ Smoke was observed by the second engineer coming through the ventilator of the after hold, in which were stored passengers’ baggage and flax in bales. The engines were at once stopped, and all hands ordered to fire stations. When a portion of the covering over the hatchway of the hold had been removed the fire was found to be among the flax bales. After about an hour’s work the fire was extinguished, and the Rakaia proceeded. On Thursday, at daylight, a thorough examination of the after hold was made, and it was seen that the damage Was confined to the passengers’ baggage and the top layer of flax. Several of the trunks and cases were totally destroyed, and nearly 100 bales of flax were burned or damaged to such an extent as to be of very little use. The cargo was also in a bad state, owing to the large quantity of water pumped into the hold. The coolness of the captain and the discipline of the officers jind crew prevented the passengers from feeling alarmed for their personal safety.”

The above was one of the mildest accounts telegraphed; some of the papers made a big sensation of the affair. On inquiry at the offices of the New Zealand Shipping Company, however, I was informed that the whole thing had been greatly exaggerated; that the fire had broken out in the poop among flax, which is most inflammable cargo ; that the fire was got under in 40 minutes, and that the damage was confined to 50 bales of flax and five packages of passengers’ baggage, damaged by fire and water. The Rakaia came on to London, where she arrived on' Tuesday last.