HOLMLEA BERTHS AT WESTPORT

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25735, 22 February 1949, Page 4

HOLMLEA BERTHS AT WESTPORT

LEAK NOT FOUND YET BUNKS BURNED TO KEEP STEAM UP *From Our Own Reporter WESTPORT, February 21. The disabled steamer Holmlea, which was towed to safety after a leak had developed off Granity at 2 a.m. on Sunday, was brought into Westport this morning by the Marine Department’s tug, James O’Brien. The Holmlea berthed at the crane wharf, where two motor pumps from the Westport Fire Brigade were used to pump four feet of water from the stokehold. 'Qie Holmlea sprang a. leak on the voyage from Greymouth to Wanganui and was close to the breakers when she was rescued by the James O’Brien. The leak was, not discovered until the water had filled the bilges and then rose above the footplates in the stokehold. In an effort to maintain steam as long as possible, before the fires were put out by the rising water, bunk boards from the crew’s quarters were burned. The firemen could not handle the coal, which was under water. When the vessel berthed this morning there was some difficulty in pumping her dry because of the bunker coal, but the level of the water was reduced to the footplates of the hold. The water is now’ seeping slowly through the bunker coals, under

which it is thought the leak, de* veloped. An inspection will be made ar soon as the coal can be shifted. If th« damage is not extensive, repairs may be made at Westport. If one of the hull plates is damaged, cement pack* ing will be put in temporarily and the vessel will probably go to Nelson fog permanent repairs.