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Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28748, 20 November 1958, Page 14

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Port Waikato Berths I With her cargo of sheep in reI markably good condition and her ideck cargo undamaged, the motoiJship, Port Waikato, which broke [down on the way to Lyttelton I from the Chatham Islands, was brought through the moles at Lyttelton at 5 p.m. yesterday by the tug. Lyttelton 11, after being towed by the frigate. Kaniere. for more than 36 hours Some of the sheep—perhaps a dozen —were down, but most of these should survive. In all, 12 sheep died. There were only four passengers from the Chatham Islands, a nun and three men. The sheep were loaded into road transport trucks and taken to Addington and paddocked The engine breakdown occurred at 12.50 a.m. on Monday, said Captain D R. Crabtree, master of the Port Waikato On Sunday the vessel had run into a moderate gale, but the weather had improved at the time of the breakdown While the Port Waikato was waiting for assistance, a staysail was set to steady the ship and under this she drifted to the east at about half a knot The Kaniere was sighted from the Port Waikato at 1.30 a.m. on Tuesday. The frigate used a linethrowing pistol to put a light line aboard at 3.26 a.m. and by 5.15 a.m. the tow lines were in position and the two ships were under way. “The Navy was very quick off the mark,” said Captain Crabtree, “and the Kaniere handled the job in an extremely efficient manner. It was just like an exercise ." One of the men passengers said it seemed a long wait for the Kaniere to arrive. The sea was fairly lumpy, but not too bad, he said There was plenty of food and good meals were served throughout the trip.