A SPORTING CHANCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2136, 5 June 1920, Page 2

A SPORTING CHANCE.

BEACHING OF S.S. AOK ERE

Wanganui, Last Night

•At the official inquiry into' the loss of the steamer Aorerc on the Rangilikei beach on May 23rd, before Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., Captain Crotty stated that he had been in charge of the steamer about a , mouth. Two days previously she had touched a big boulder going up to. Blenheim* and the pumps were kept going at intervals to keep the water down. He hoped, with a favourable trip across, to reach Wanganui, although ho knew she was making and tiie engine pumps were defective. As soon as he got into rough weather she opened up and .made water, and the engines slopped, so the vessel proceeded under sail until the engine was enabled io-star! again. At 10 a.m. on Svm•day he decoded to make for- Kapiti, as the wind and sea were increasing. The steam was decreasing owing to ihe coal being wet, and the last hags of dry coal were used as he put the ship’s head towards Kapiti. The men could not work the deck pumps as the seas were washing over them. After some lime the chief officer said the men were exhausted after pumping for about 21 hours, and asked him to give them a sporting chance and beach the vessel in daylight, as they did not want to drown in the dark. Later he again turned to Kapiti, but the engineer said there was no steam lefL The vested was then under sail. He asked the engineer for Mbs. of steam, . imping to iuuke Foxlon, but the men M came to him again and asked for a W, sporting chance, so he decided to ’ 7 beach the vessel, and-jghe drifted in • broadside on. He attributed her Joss to springing an excessive leak and to enormous seas.

Jarman, mate, said that the engine pump used to get.choked with coal, and the whole crew worked at the'hand pump. The. cabin was dismantled and the flooring of the aft-er-hatch and after-galley were used in trying to get .-up steam, hut it would not raise a pound.