DIVER INSPECTS CLANSMAN

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27992, 12 June 1956, Page 8

DIVER INSPECTS CLANSMAN

NO EXTENSIVE DAMAGE

VESSEL TO BE SLIPPED IN AUCKLAND

(New Zealand Press Association) WHAKATANE. June 11.

The damage to* the hull of the coaster Clansman is not as extensive as was feared*, and the vessel will not be beached in Whakatane for repairs. She will be taken to Auckland to be placed on the slip. The Northern Steam Ship Company will begin on Wednesday to discharge cargo from the hold of the Clansman, which has been alongside the Whakatane wharf since being refloated from the rocks near the harbour entrance early on Friday morning. Mr T. F. Lowe, who has charge of salvage work on the Clansman, said that one of his divers, Mr D. Robinson, had made an inspection of the sides of the hull. As there had been only 2ft 4 6in of water under the keel, he would not allow the diver to inspect the bottom of the ship. Mr Robinson had been under the water for about 45 minutes on each side of the vessel and, in that time, had been able to assess the damage fairly accurately, said Mr Lowe. It was not as extensive as had been at first thought. One pump operating for 15 minutes every two hours has been sufficient to control the water entering the hold.

Another pump with a capacity of 900 gallons a minute will be installed in the Clansman before she is taken to Auckland. It will replace the two smaller fire brigade trailer pumps that have been used during salvage operations.