VESSELS IN COLLISION.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 March 1917, Page 4

VESSELS IN COLLISION.

FURTHER DETAILS. ' By Telegraph.—Press A' .-.ociation. Gisborne, March 2. A calm attitude was maintained on the Arahura. Mr S. P. Burry, of Christchurch, said lie was just going to bed when there was a terrible crash, and the vessel shook from stem to stern. This was followed by the repeated sounding of the siren, localising that something serious had happened, and hearing the order "stand by the boats," he made his way on deck. The boats had been swung out and many people donned lifebelts, and the stewardesses were busy adjusting life belts around the women unci children. The captain had the situation well in hand, and there was no trouble of any kind, in a remarkably short space of time tugs were alongside, and the passengers, with their portable belongings were quickly transferred and brought ashore. Dr Coker paid a visit to the cabin of the cook, Greeiisladc. The cabin was smashed, and it was by a mirac'c that he escaped death. There had evidently been two impacts. The first one had damaged the cabin slightly, but the second had completed its destruction. A search was made for some time before the cook was found.

The Arahura's passengers'for Auckland were:—Misses Wilkie, Thompson (2), and Rolton; Nurse Parkes; Mesdames Butterfield, Plowman, Gillies, Quirk, Murphy, Black and child; Messrs Black, Hill, Grace, Spence, Jones, Moss, Burry, Cartwright, Thurlow, Costin, Innes, Sewell, Wright, Clark, Dr Coker, Davy, Adjutant T. E. Holmes. THE ARAHURA BEACHED. The Arahura and the liner were leaving the bay when they came into collision, and, as the result, the Arahura headed on to the beach, but was not actually stranded until some hours later. With the -assistance of the stealer Tualea and the dredger Maui the Araliura was edged in near the groyne. The vessel's stokehold is several feet deep in water, and the engine room is also flooded. The point of the collision is on the port side. Here the plates of her upper works are torn away over a gap of several feet, and below the water line the side of the ship is badly dented and buckled. During the night, with the aid of the Harbour Board launch, mats wore got /ound the injured part of the ship. After a conference between the Harbormaster (Captain Carson) and Captain Dryden of the Arahura, it was decided to beach the vessel, and accordingly the passengers and an injured man were transferred to the Karoro and brought ashore, and the vessel run ashore on a sandy spot on Waikanao beach. The Harbor Board's diver was taken otf an hour or so after the mishap, with a view to ascertaining the damage the vessel had sustained. The liner was sailing for the south at the time of the mishap. She is commanded by Captain Goddard. The damage to the liner has been fully ascertained. The vessel remains in the bay awaiting orders. The Wimmera was still working cargo in the bay this morning. Harold Greenslade, chief cook of the Arahura, who was injured when the coi. lision took place, is suffering from shock, but his injuries are not dangerous. THE LEAK STOPPED. The position at 11.30 a.m. was that the water in the Arahura had risen over the tops of the cylinders in the engine room and flooded No. 1 and 2 holds. No. 3 hold is still dry The steamer has about 70 tons of oargo on board, shipped from Napier and Uisbornc for Auckland, which was being over-carried from Gisborne. The water has only reached the timber and coal mentioned. The vessel has a hole amidships, below the watcrline, to the extent of three feet in depth and eight, inch/f wide. The gap has been temporarily blocked, and the inflow of water at 11 a.m. had bee(i practically stopped, but not before it had reached the flooring of the saloon deck. At high water, efforts will be made to move the vessel under the shelter of the groyne. The sea is perfectly calm, and discharging operations are preceding. An auxiliary steam engine am\ plant lias been put on board, and it is hoped to commence pumping operations tonight. Experts consider the heavy belting on the Arahura saved the vessel from further damage. LINER'S SEAWORTHINESS UNAFFECTED. The liner's stem is buckled, but the damage is not considered sufficient to prevent (he vessel putting to sea. Water is breaking into the forepeak tank, but apart from this no water is getting into the ship, and Captain Goddard states that her seaworthiness is unaffected. He considers the ship should proceed to Auckland for repairs. THE STORY RETOLD LINER SAILS FOR AUCKLAND. Gisbornc, Last Night. After the collision last night, as soon as it was apparent that the Arahura had sustained serious damage, no time was lost in transferring the passengers with their portable luggage, to the tug, | and setting them ashore with the ve» sel's chidf cook, "William Greenslade, tvho was sent to the hospital suffering severely from shock. Greenslade's cabin, which was on the port side of the ship, amidships, was at the point oi Impact between the two vessels, and the cabin was completely wrecked, the Rome liner's bow crashing right through and reducing everything to matchwood, i'jrccnslnde was asleep at the time, and his escape was a miraculous one. He was quite unhurt, except for the severe lihock. When the passengers had been disembarked, Captain Dryden, of the Arahura, had a conference with the harbormaster. Captain Carson, and decided to beach the vessel on the Waikanae beach, accordingly she was brought to the groyne, and her steam held out long enough to keep her afloat till low tide, when she took the ground 200 feet abreast of the groyne. Water gained ground steadily, and at 3 a.m. the fires liad to be drawn, and the struggle against the water abandoned. By 5 a.m. the engine room and stokehold were under water, and at dawn a startwas made to remove the mails and cargo, while a diver investigated the extent of the damage. This evening all the perishable cargo had been removed to safety, but the water is now in No. 1, 2, and 3 holds and the saloon floors are awash. The only,

cargo left aboard comprises coai and! timber. 'The cargo sliippea at Napier for Auckland is all safely 'ashore. The diver's itivcatipitioiß revealed a hole three feet by eight inches under the' waterb'ne, and after heavy work this was plugged jnd a steel patch is m being adjusted. In addition the vessel's upper works are stove in over a space of about ten feet by twenty, and the surrounding plates buckled and sprung. The powerful pump owned by the Fire Board lias been placed on board the Arahum, mid it is expected pumping will commence this evening, so that the ship may be got off at high tide, after midnight. The Home liner wliieh was in collision with the Arahura had her stem had)) twisted, and sports a hole in her bows. bhe is making water in the forepeak tank, but the ship herself is dry, and iviih never in any immediate danger. Alter consultation'between her captain the harbormaster, Captain Chisp (Lloyds), and the local ager> of the New Zealand Shipping Company, a report was submitted to the Customs and Marine Department, which gave permission for the ship to proceed to Auckland, and she sailed for that port this afternoon. The weather, fortunately, remained flat calm, but not'look so promising this evening, for the sea has risen slightly, and the sea is Increasing The tug Terawhiti is expected to-mor. row afternoon to take charge of the Arahura.