THE HAWERA WRECKED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 139, 30 October 1912, Page 7

THE HAWERA WRECKED.

AT THE PATEA HEADS. The Patea Press says:—When the trim little Hawera, the latest and best addition to the South Taranaki Shipping Company's lleet ieft Wellington on Friday no one expected that she would end her voyage on the Patea beach, but unfortunately this was exactly what took place. At 9.15 the balls went up on the flagstaff, and far. out across the white crested waves the bo.it turned a resolute head towards the bar. When she reached the end : of the wall, and everything appeared to be going well, to the amazement of those who were watching her, she suddenly stopped dead, having for some unaccountable reason touched bottom, Although the water was then well over the tide gauge, showing that there must have been at least 11 feet at the bar. ...»

After striking, a huge wave carried her stem on to the .breakwater, where she bumped heavily for some time, the seas finally carrying her round on to the sandy, beach on■ the. eastern side, where she finally rested, with her bows some ten or twelve feet from the stoneWf.'rk and her hull broadside on to the sen ■ . As it was high tide at the time, with a still" south-west breeze. blowing, the little vessel, although heavily loaded, was carried well inshore, where* huge waves broke over her for some/time. At first it was ; thought that she • had not sustained much damage, and, being on a soft sandy bottom, she 'could be got oft without much trouble, but as the tide

receded the full extent of the gruelling the little vessel received when she struck on the eartern pier could be seen. Her stem was snapped asunder and crushed out of all shape from the 17-foot mark downwards, and there was a large gaping hole on the starboard side from some six ' feet from the hows to amidships. Pieces of timber from the damaged.hull were strewn along the beach, which went to show that the 'bottom of the vessel imbedded in the sand was also seriously damaged. As soon as the tide would permit, efforts were made to discharge the cargo, as much 1 as possible being taken out and stored in the Harbor Board's sheds. The work of discharging was continued at 2 a.m. on Sunday/but the work was greatly hampered owing, to the water in the holds. The.full extent of the injuries the vessel has received cannot be ascertained until the whole of the cargo is removed and a thorough examination of the hull made. The worst fears are entertained by some (that the hack of the vessel may have been broken after she struck the breakwater. If this is the case she will probably hecome a total wreck. The accident is a particularly unfortunate one for the owners, the West Coast Shipping Company, as the wrecked vessel was the "flagship" of the. company's fleet, and was specially designed and fitted up for the carrying of dairy produce and frozen meat. As the flush of the dairying season is fast approaching, it will be seen that such a boat could ill be spared just now. The Kiripaka, which has been laid up for some time past, has been got ready, and will take up the running in place of the Hawera forthwith. An enquiry wilt be held into the circumstances of the accident by the Colleeioi) of Customs.