DISABLED AT SEA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 414, 24 July 1928, Page 16

DISABLED AT SEA

WAITOMO’S TAILSHAFT BROKEN

COLLIER SAILS TO HELP

Press Association. WELLINGTON, To-day. The head office of the Union Steam Ship Company received a wireless message yesterday from Captain F. A. Jaunay, of the company’s collier Wa.itomo, which is on its way from Newcastle to Bluff, stating that the vessel is disabled with a broken tailshaft at a point about 400 miles north of Westport. The Kaitoke, also a collier, left Westport early this morning, and, on picking up the Waitomo, will tow her to Auckland for repairs in the Devonport dockyard. The Waitomo is a steel screw cargo carrier of 4,214 tons and was built in 1911 by the Northumberland Shipbuilding Company, Ltd., Newcastle, England, and engined by Richardsmans, Westgarth and Company, Ltd. Several Union Company’s steamers have broken their tail-shafts, the last vessel being the Whangape, which broke hers on September 22, 1908, while on a trip to the Pacific Islands. She was picked up by the little steamer Dwan on October 2 and towed into Kadau, where the Tofua took her in charge. The Whangape, which also lost her propeller in Sydney Harbour on July 3, 1910, was recently sold to Moeller and Company, China, and is now undergoing overhaul prior to sailing for Chinese waters.