THE FOXTON PORT

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1082, 14 December 1911, Page 3

THE FOXTON PORT

During last month several ves sels, in either entering or leaving the port, ran aground, and it was reported that the bad state of the bar and river was responsible for these mishaps. This, however, was not the case, as there was plenty of water iu the river and on the bar. At Tuesday’s meeting of the Harbour Board the Harbourmaster furnished a report in connection with same, which was as follows :

“On Nov. 22nd while the s.s. Moa was bound outwards, she gut too close to the south spit and took the ground, it was a very dark night, and it was not for the want of water, because in the channel there is from 15 to 17 leet of water at high water springs and plenty of room. The vessel came off 24 hours later, and there was no damage to the ship, the reason why she had to go back to the wharf was that there was too much sea ou the bur to get out, she left for Wanganui the next day. Ou the 24th, she crossed the bar drawing 7ft. bin., 2% hours before high water, it was nothing but pure accident that she got on the south spit. She was drawing qft. when she crossed iu on the moruing tide the 22nd, that was xo o’clock tide.

“Mishap to the s.s. Gertie on the 24th; —In reference to the mishap to the Gertie I cannot account for that, how she got on the north spit I don’t know. The s.s. Queen of the South crossed inwards on the 23rd drawing 9ft, one hour before high water, and there was a heavy sea on, too, and the captain told me he never tonched on the bar or in the river. The Gertie was drawing six inches less water, and no sea on the bar, and there was the same water showing ou the tide guage as when the Queen crossed. 1 sounded the bar next day, and round lift, at high water and plenty of room either side ol the breakers. Could have got the Gertie off next tide, but ou account of her being helpless and it being a a:, u.iia night, let her stop theie 11b lire morning tide. In the meantime the sea made a little, and drove her along the spit further into the river.

“In reference to the Gertie and Queen going aground at Duncan’s bend; Both vessels were drawing Bft. 61u., and it was getting on for neap, and the tides were taking off. Through the s.s. Kennedy getting stuck in the river, she had altered the channel. They dischargad about ten tons out of the Queen, and nothing out ot the Gertie. They both arrived at the wharf ou the next tide.

“Mishap to s.s. Kennedy ou November 24th, 19x1 : —ln reference to the mishap to the s.s. Kennedy, that was a pure accident. The Captain told me that he was watching the man at the lead sounding, and did not lake notice whether the buoy was a black or red one till he took the ground, and then he noticed his mistake. With the flood in the river, the vessel swung round broadside ou to the stream, and stuck bard and fast. I sounded the channel the day before tbe Kennedy got stuck, and there was 11 to 12 feet of water. When the Kennedy got fast she formed a bank there, and altered the channel, and formed a bank close down to Duncan’s bend. Sounded the channel the day after the Gertie and Queen got stuck, and found eight to nine feet at high water, neap tides. “ rVlishap to s.s. Wootton ou November 28th :—ln reference to the mishap to the s.s. Wootton through grounding ou the south spit, the captain icported to me that he touched on the bar, and the vessel slewed round and unshipped the rudder. She came in again. When inside of the bar, something went wrong with his engines, and in the meantime he drilled over on the south spit. As soon as he got ou the spit his rudder got stripped again. He got his engines to work, and came off the spit, and went back to the wharf. The captain told me it was through his engines stopping that he got on the south spit, and not through there being uot enough water iu the chauuel.

“ Ou the same day that the s.s. Gertie got aground ou the north spit the s.s. Kennedy crossed the bar half au hour afterwards, and never touched. Bounded bar comiug iu and found plenty of water m the channel.’’