BIG DOCKING JOBS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 118, 21 May 1931, Page 3

BIG DOCKING JOBS.

HAURAKI NOT THE LONGEST.

RONA'S 90 WORKING DAYS. KAIPARA SENSATION OF 1910. So long has the red funnel of the Union Co.'s motor ship Hauraki been poking up from Calliope Dock that folk who cross the harbour daily have almost come to regard it as a permanent part of the works. The motor ship, winch is expected to be refloated to-morrow, lias been in the dock for 59 working days, but the impression that the job of repairing the vessel is the longest ever undertaken at Devonport is not correct. _ One ship was in dock half as long again as the Hauraki. In addition to the Hauraki, there are four ships that have spent long periods in the ship repairers' hands at Devonport. Easily the longest work undertaken Avas that of repairing the Colonial Su^ar Company's well-known steamer Rona, in 1922. The vessel's bow was extensively damaged, and it was 90 working days before she was able to float unaided. Next in order comes the old Kaipara, which spent 72 working days in the dock in 1910, while the Port Hacking, with (34 working days in the lart year of the war, ranks third. The 59 working days already spent in the dock by the° Hauraki entitles her to fourth place in the list, while the Northumberland, which was delayed at Auckland for several months in 1927, was out of the water for 48 working days.

Struck in Rangitoto Channel. The accident which resulted in the Kaipara. being seriously damaged caused one of the biggest maritime sensations ever experienced in Auckland. Ihe vessel, 7596 tons gross, and owned by the New Zealand Shipping Company, left Auckland on the afternoon of Friday, January 14, 1910, bound for London with a few passengers and a large cargo, consisting chiefly of hemp, butter, cheese, and frozen meat. The weather was fine and the sea like a mirror, and when the report came to the city that the vessel was on the rocks in Rangitoto Channel many people could not bring themselves to believe it. The steamer was going at full speed when those on board were startled by hearing a slight grating sound. Almost immediately the vessel commenced to list, but she soon ngnted herself, and settled down with her bow on a rock about a inile past North Head. Water poured into Nos. 1 and 2 bolda, and lifebelts were issued.and the boats swung out, but when the vessel rested quietly on the bottom it was realised that there was no immediate danger. The passengers were brought back to the city, and a etart was at once made in saving the cargo, which was valued at Quantities of butter, checeo. and hemp were saved, but the' frozen meat was ruined, and soon began to give so offensive an odour that it had to be taken out to sea and dumped with, the minimum of delay.

Beached in Hobson Bay. In order to help refloat the Kaipara the tug Terawhiti, fitted with powerful pumping gear, was dispatched from Wellington, and after several days the damaged steamer was refloated. Slow progress was made towards the city, and carefully as the ship was handled, she could not be got right into port, and it was necessary to run her ashore in' Hobson Bay. There the remainder of , her cargo was unloaded (her frozen meat by this time was so far "gone"' that it was deemed advisable ,to spray it with disinfectant before taking it out to sea) before she was put into the dock.

At the subsequent inquiry, the Court, comprising Mr. C. C. Kettle and Captains Post and Reed, returned a very lengthy finding, in which it was stated that the Kaipara had struck an uncharted. rock. It was given out that, in the opinion of the Court, the accident was not due to any carelessness, negligent navigation; or error of judgment on the part of the master (Captain Cornwall) or anyone else on board, but solely on account of erroneous information in the chart. The opinion was expressed that the rock was the same as had been struck by the French warship Duquesne in 1890, and the steamer Waimate in 1904, and' the Harbour Board were severely criticised for not having made bigger efforts to ascertain that the channel was. safe. Ship That Rammed a Light. .The. accident to the Colonial Sugar Company's steamer Rona on June 27, 1922, was one of those astonishing things which sometimes happen at sea. The Rona, a comparatively new. ship, was bringing 7000 tons of sugar and 1200 tons of molasses from Fiji to Auckland, when she struck Flat Rock, sometimes called Canoe Rock, which is abreast of Kawau. The astonishing thing about this mishap was that the Rona piled herself up within a few yards of the base of the flashing light. The weather at the time was clear : and the sea dead calm. The chief- officer was on the bridge, and the master was below. The stem of the steamer was badly crushed, but she was got off the rock two days later and was able to limp into harbour under her own steam.

In giving evidence before the Court of .Inquiry, the chief officer said that he had followed the common custom, of steering for the light, * but had been confused by its brightness, and had formed the opinion that he was still a long way from the rock when, actually he was almost upon it. The Court came to the conclusion that there was no excuse for the first, officer's error, and his certificate. was suspended for six months, and he was ordered to pay half the costs of the inquiry. The master was also ordered to pay half the Court's costs, a ruling which caused business and shipping men in the .city'to hold a meeting-of protest. -

Port Hacking and Northumberland. The Commonwealth and Dominion Line steamer Port Hacking was, docked as the result of losing half her rudder. An examination. proved that her sternpost was badly strained, and much difficult work had to be carried out before she Could be refloated. The Federal steamer Northumberland struck a submerged rock near Gable End Foreland on January 25, 1927, and limped into Gisbornc in a . sinking condition. The fact that the -bulkheads withstood a-terrific strain saved the ship, and she was later able to come to Auckland under the escort of a tug for permanent repairs. This vessel is the largest in the Federal fleet, and the concrete steps had to be cut off the dock before she I could be'put in. . . .