ENQUIRY TO BE HELD INTO STRANDING

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5307, 21 January 1947, Page 5

ENQUIRY TO BE HELD INTO STRANDING

WELLINGTON, last night. The Wangella carried a relatively small quantity of mail, all of which was from Australia, said the Postmaster- General in reply to an enquiyy this evening. If weather conditions permitted, attempts to unload it will be made tomorrow morning. The Minister said the mail carried by the Wanganella comprised 184 bags of letters and newspapers, and 193 bags of pareels. It had not been possible to unload any mail to-day, as all efforts Had heen directed towards rescue work.

An enquiry will be held into the circumstances of the stranding of the Wanganella, said the Minister of Marine, the Hon. J. O'Brien, in reply to an enquiry. The Minister said he visited the scene of the stranding and hoped that with the extra buig power available the ship could be got off the rocks though the indications to-day did not seem very bright. He understood the ship was holed in the first two compartments, but that there was no water in the two after-com-partments. The Minister said that the •stranding of sueh a iine passenger ship was almost a national calamity at the present time, because of the number of people wanting transport to and fi*om New Zealand and Australia. At present there was no ship in sight that could supply the service ihe .Wanganella could.