WAKATU S.S. in SAFETY.

Patea Mail, 13 February 1882, Page 3

WAKATU S.S. in SAFETY.

The unfortunate mishap to the Wakatu is not so serious ns was commonly reported. The prospect of getting her safely into the river is now all hut certain. The cause of the accident needs restating. The Wakatu was leaving the river without cargo on Saturday afternoon, and running rather near the breakwater, owing to the narrow channelway at present, the propeller blades struck a largo boulder which had been deposited when the nibble foundation of wall was made. The boulder is one of several that lie clear of the wall formation, and are therefore dangerous. Three blades of the propeller snapped off; and the steamer being then helpless she drifted outward with the stream, and meeting the heavy inward rollers at the end of the wall, she worked round the end and drifted np the beach behind the wall.

Damage was done to the bottom by bumping on the projecting blocks which form the lower wall-course, and stand out in a ledge beyond the upper tier of blocks. Two holes were knocked in the bottom, and the steamer filled rapidly, the water rising to the tide level. Being then behind the wall, the steamer escaped the heavy wash from the northwest gale then blowing, and lay in comparative safety, the captain and crew remaining on board till the tide went down.

A large crowd of persons visited the steamer during yesterday, and at low tide she lay on the dry sand, partly resting on the lower blocks of the wall, and could be inspected all round. The water being out of the steamer, the two holes in the plates were patched up, and she now floats with the tide. She was also strongly moored in position to prevent drifting or chafing against the wall, and she is now safe against almost any weather. She is expected to get off easily at spring tides within a fortnight. Mr Cross, one of the owners, came up from Wanganui, and Captain Bendall has been informed of the steamer’s position, and is expected to arrive for superintending the operations when the tides are favorable for floating her into the river. The three broken blades of the propeller were seen lying on the side of the channel near the large bonlders (one or more) on which the blades had struck when wearing round at the narrow point opposite the west spit. The stern had gone near the wall, and the screw had struck the loose bonlders. Had the Wakatu been laden or been weighted with water ballast, she might have answered the helm better when facing the breakers in the very high wind from the north-west. -