THE AORERE SECURES A PRIZE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3718, 4 October 1906, Page 2

THE AORERE SECURES A PRIZE.

The little steamer Aorere, Captain Fisk, bound from Patea to Wellington, appears to have picked up the abandoned barque Lutterworth, says the “ Post.” A telephone message from Makara received by Messrs Turnbull and Co. states that the Aorere was seen off Terawhiti last night with a dismasted vessel in tow. There is little doubt that the message refers to the Lutterworth. Some surprise is expressed at the little 77 tons Aorere tackling the heavy task of towing the big barque into port. The Lutterworth is an iron barque of 916 tons gross and 887 tons net. She was a fine-looking vessel, and was built in 1868 by Messrs Denton and Gray, of Hartlepool, for the Shaw-Savill and Albion Company. Her principal dimensions are: Length 209.2 ft., beam 33.1 ft., depth 19.9 ft. The barque is well known in Wellington, especially to the older hands. At one time she was constantly trading between London and New Zealand under the ShawSaville flag. On her last visit here she loaded a cargo of wool for London. The vessel had just discharged a cargo at Timaru and Lyttelton, and was on her way to Kaipara to load for Melbourne. Wellington, October 2. The dismantled barque Lutterworth, which was abandoned off Terawhiti on Monday afternoon, was towed into Wellington Harbour this evening. She has a heavy list tc port,, the deck on that side being almost level with the water. The decks and cabin show by their terrible disorder what a severe buffeting the vessel received. Sea boots, oilskins, and wreckage strew the deck, oil bags hung over the stern, and all manner of running gear is littered about in the cabin. The little steamer Aorere, Captain Fiske, from Patea to Wellington, while sheltering in Ohau Bay, saw the derelict on Monday evening and at once went after her. The Lutterworth was then five miles out in the Strait. The Aorere hung on to the barque all night and commenced towing her with the tide this morning. Shortly after the tug Duco appeared on the scene and completed the tow to Wellington, with the Aorere in attendance.