STRUCK REEF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 309, 30 December 1940, Page 5

STRUCK REEF.

MISHAP IN FOG. f it » """ r RANGATIRA AGROUND." \ —. 1 c REFLOATED AFTER 10 HOURS. 1 (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday ( Sliding gently into the reef at 1 western head of Pigeon Bay, about 20 j miles from Lyttelton, in a dense • this morning, the Union Steam Ship Company's ferry steamer Rangatira, of (6152 tons, under the command of Captain G. B. Morgan, remained hard aground for nearly 10 hours. Her 750 passengers were safely transferred in lifeboats to the cargo steamer Waimarino, whicli berthed at Lyttelton shortly after midday. The Rangatira was assisted off the reef by the Lyttelton Harbour Board's tug Lyttelton I. and an intercolonial steamer on the afternoon tide, and, steaming up the harbour at a brisk eight or 10 knots, completed her interrupted journey : apparently little the worse for her stranding, arriving at Lyttelton at 3.40 p.m. The mishap occurred at about 5.30 a.m. The Rangatira had been steaming slowly for some time in a thick coastal fog, with her siren sounding at intervals. She struck so gently that most of those on board did not know she was aground. A few of the male passengers went on deck and saw a reef of rocks a few yards away on the port bow. The passengers were told to return to their cabins and await orders. Assistance Sent. In response to wireless messages from the stranded ship, the Lyttelton staff 1 of the company made arrangements to dispatch the fast coastal steamer Wai- [ marino and an intercolonial steamer ■ which was in port. The tug Ljtteltdn I. was also isent out.

When the relief vessels left the a wharves the fog extended the full c length of Lyttelton harbour. It began t to lift as they neared the entrance to F Pigeon Bay, and the actual rescue work f was carried out in brilliant eunshine and < an almost smooth sea. 1 The Rangatira went aground about ! two hours after full tide, and when the , rescue vessels arrived she was lying . about 300 yards off the west headland of the bay with her bow well out of the ' water and showing most of her bow rudder. Her stern was well down in deep water, and the tug had made a line fast and was pulling gently to preL'nt the Rangatira going further up. The grounded steamer had no list, which greatly simplified the transshipping of the passengers. Soon after the arrival of the Waimarino the port lifeboats, which had previously been swung out, filled with women and children and lowered into the water without "mishap. ,All passengers were wearing lifebelts and seemed in remarkably good spirits. Picnic Atmosphere. The lifeboats of the Rangatira are of the manually operated propeller type, and the women passengers were enthusiastically assisting in the operation of the hand levers. Air Force men, passengers on the steamer express, lent valuable aid in loading the lifeboats. The only mishap reported was that to a woman, who tore a fingernail. The crowds in the lifeboats were so cheerful that they , might have been going to a picnic, i A companion ladder lowered on each side of the Waimarino expedited the i work of taking the passengers aboard, r Some of the launches assisted by tow- [ ing lifeboats, and one large passenger . launch took a full load of passengers. As soon as they boarded the Wai- ' marino the women passengers were • given facilities to wash and were served i with tea. All praised warmly what had . been done for them aboard the lianga- > tira. All had had breakfast before leaving the ship. Stewards helped passengers into their lifebelts. When the. Waimarino came into the inner basin there ' was a large crowd to welcome the rescued passengers. No Signs of Ordeal. Anxiety continued to be felt for the , fate of the Rangatira and preparations! were continued in Lyttelton for]

attempted salvage. Shortly after three o'clock the anxiety was ended by advice that the Rangatira, under the combined power of her own engines and tow lines from the Lyttelton I. and the Union Company's inter-colonial vessel, had backed off the reef. When the Rangatira steamed up the harbour shortly before four o'clock showing no signs of her ordeal, Evans' Pass and Summit Roads were lined with hundreds of motor care.

Arrangements were made by the Rail- 1 way Department to transport southbound passengers to their homes. Those who were travelling to points south of Timaru were conveyed in three railway buses, which left Christchurch in the middle of the afternoon. Passengers for south stations as far as Timaru were carried on the usual Sunday excursion train which leaves Christchurch at 5.25 p.m. These passengers were obliged to leave without their luggage, which was dispatched from Lyttelton by a later train.

Mails from the north carried on the Rangatira were brought to the city on the 6.25 p.m. train from Lyttelton. A return trip to Wellington this evening is being ma-je by the Wahine, which made a daylight crossing from Wellington to-day. In addition to passengers booked from Christchurch, there were 150 passengers on a special train from Dunedin.

Leaking Slightly. The reef which the Rangatira struck] is about five miles south-east of Lyttel-| ton Heads. The Wahine, which made aj special daylight trip, arrived at Lyttelton at 7.30 p.m. and sailed for Wellington an hour later carrying passengersj booked for the Rangatira's scheduled trip to-night.

The Rangatira is leaking slightly, and; after examination by the Lytteltonj Harbour Board's diver it was decided to send her to Port Chalmers for dry-! docking. The stewards and stewardesses were paid off and sent to Wellington by the Wahine to join the Maori,! which will recommission to-morrow and will leave Wellington at 7.45 p.m. for Lyttelton, and thereafter the Maori will leave Wellington on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and the i Wahine on Tuesdays, Thursdays and I Saturdays at 7.45 p.m.

Owing to the efficient work performed [by the nmilroom staff at the Christ[church post office the Rangatira's mail reached the Chief Post Office st-7 ulj