Steamboat Collision.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5253, 18 November 1885, Page 2

Steamboat Collision.

(Per Pbess Association.)

Wellington, This day. A telegram received here states that a collision took place on the Opawa river, Blenheim, this morning, between the steamers Waihi and Mohaka. The Waihi was going up the'river and the Mohaka was coming down; the vessels meeting at a sharp bend, the Waihi; struck the Mohaka about 6 feet from.the stern cutting her down to the water edge. The Mohaka sank in a few minutes, but the Waihi was not much injured. No particulars have come to hand. Blenheim, This day. Further ParticularsThe Mohaka was on her way to Wellington with a cargo of wool, tallow basils, and collies, and. the Waihi was returning from Wellington with a dozen passengers. The steamers met iv the Harding bend, which is the sharpest in the river, the approaches being lined and concealed by willows. The Mohaka was an hour late on the tide, and the Waihi had no reason to expect to meet her. Both Captains Manning and Eckford were at the wheel, and a proper look-out was kept, bat

neither 6aw the other until they met in j the shnrp and narrow bend. Manning blew the whistle and stopped, and Eckford gave orders to stop her and reverse engines, but not in sufficient time to avert the collision. The Waihi's bows struck the Mohaka about 3ft from the stern on the port side, ripping her down from top to below water's edge. Eckford seeing the Mo' aka begin to settle, instantly took steps to remove his cargo with the Waihi gear, but too late, and in less than five minutes the Mohaka settled down in the river. The way on her caused her to swing her bow on the bank, and nothing is now visible but her bow, masts, and three feet of the funnel. Eckford and crew got on board the Waihi and returned to Blenheim. The Waihi's plates are slightly dented, but cot more than if they bad struck a stump. Neither captain blames the other, both agreeing it was a pure accident caused by the willows preventing one seeing the other till too late to avoid the collision, which happened twenty minutes after the moon went down. Both captains have memorialised the River Board at the meeting last Monday to clear the obstructions to navigation of which great com plaints hare been made for years past, and the Board determined to enforce its powers under Amendment Act of 1884, by giving owners 14 days to cut the willows. The Mohaka was insured for £460 in the Victoria in the Wellington office, and the cargo was covered by a floating policy. She had a small postal mail on board. The steamer can be raised, and must be removed as she obstructs navigation, but it is doubtful if it would pay to raise her as a commercial speculation. Eckford estimates his loss at £500. . A preliminary enquiry by the Collector of Customs is to be held at two o'clock this afternoon. Later. An enquiry into the collision between the Waihi and Mobaka is taking place this afternoon before Mr Pasley, Collector of Customs, who excluded the Press without assigning any reason. The Mohaka still lies in the river with her stern in 16 feet of water.