THE KAIPARA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 309, 8 February 1910, Page 5

THE KAIPARA.

THE ENQUIRY CONTINUED. By Telegraph.—Prcs s ' Association. Auckland, Monday. The Kaiparu enquiry was re-opened this morning. Thos. Dyke gave tl'.e result of soundings at the railway; wharf at low water on Saturday laut.' Tn no ease did the soundings give a less depth than t'he chart indicated. Frank Wallers, a diver, described a visit to tile berth occupied hy the Kaipara at the railway wharf. He said lie found a large quantity of stonep weighing u]i to a hundredweight, but nfne liorc evidence of contact, with a ship's bottom or with anything els'?. Walters also examined the shoal in rJie Rangitoto Channel. He said it protruded three or four ieet above the sea bottom. He saw grooves on the rock and patches of red paint. About i ! 0 yards to the south-west lie found /inother rock on which was a piece uf copper sheathing. An ollicer from 11.M.5. Challenger tieposed that a diver from the warship located a rock in the fairway, its highest point being 7ft above the bottom. The depth of water above it was 24fi 9fn. According to the chart, he considered that tie Km i para took a safa course. CONTRACT FOR REPAIRING SIGNED. Wellington, Last Night. 7f contract was signed at AucklarAJ to-day for structural repairs to the Kaipara. Sfessrs Hutchison and Campbell, of Wellington, are the sncce«*"nl tenderers at CfiOOO. Fifteen new stM' plates, each 27ft by 6ft. and weighing two, tons each, are being imported from Australia. About six other plates in the hull arc to be cut and straightened, and liome new frames put in. The shipping company will pay dock due* ( a day)' during progress of repairs, which are to he completed in fortv-twn days, Villi <1 penalty of £OO a day for any further time the work occupies. }les*rs > Adams and Oo.'s plant at Auckland wilt be used; and some experts will go >Jp from Wellington for the job. The eontract dors not include anything relating to repairs to the holds or painting or re-caulking.