MANUKA AFIRE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18578, 31 December 1925, Page 6

MANUKA AFIRE.

AT DUNEDIN WHARF. SERIOUS OUTBREAK. (FBXSS ASSOdITIOif TXLXOIUX.) BTJNEDIN, December 30. The Manuka is a vessel of many troubles. Her list was added to tonight, when, a little before 10 o'clock, smoke wa3 seen pouring out of No. 2 hold in dense columns. Tho fire had a firm grip below, and three or four leads that were directed into the hold seemed to make no appreciable difference. An attempt was made to get below with the aid of a smoke helmet, but tho smoke was too thick, and the undertaking too dangerous. Included in the cargo, full particulars of which are not yet available, are eight motor-cars and two prize rams from Melbourne. The origin of the fire is a mystery. At midnight tho fire was still raging. SHORTAGE OF CREW. A NIGHT IN DUNEDIN. (PBIS3 ASSOCIATION TXUQBAM.) DUNEDIN, December 30. A shortage in the crew of the Union Company's intercolonial passenger steamer Manuka was responsible for the vessel being held up at Dunedin to-nieht. Tho vessel arrived at 8 a.m. to-day from Melbourne via Bluff, and was timed to sail at 4 p.m. for Lyttelton, Wellington, and Melbourne. Two ordinary seamen signed off the articles during the day, and the company's representatives were successful in securing tho services of only one man. Several members' of the stokeholdi erww were ashore when the Manuka was ready for sea shortly after 4 p.m. These men, however, returned about 6 p.m., but the ship was still short of her complement. The services of another ordinary seaman could not bo secured, and as the shiri had missed the tide, her departure was postponed until midnight. When a notice was posted up to this effect, many passengers and members of the crew spent the evening ashore. The detention of the Manuka cannot bo attributed to job control on this occasion, as the engineers stated last; night that all members of the stokehold crew were accounted for. The Manuka's draught would have prevented her from negotiating the channel at dead low water. The Manuka has been held up at every port of call during the past few weeks. All these hold-ups were attributed to job control. She was detained at Melbourne on December 24th for four hours owing to several stokehold hands being absent from the ship.

The vessel'has over 115 through passengers from Melbourne on board