MACUATA FREED

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29851, 18 June 1962, Page 15

MACUATA FREED

Auckland Tug Successful

(N.Z. Press Association > GISBORNE. June 17

After having been stranded for six and a half days at Whangara. where she had been beached in a sinking condition, the former islands trading vessel, Macuata, was hauled clear at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday by the Auckland tug, Otapiri.

The Macuata was towed to Gisborne, arriving at 8.15 p.m. The tow was necessary as the vessel’s engine had been dismantled during the week in the process of lightening her. In the attempts to free the vessel the keep-bittom had been torn away. It was intended to make temporaryrepairs at Gisbirne pending completion of them with the return of the vessel to Auckland. At Gisborne the cause of the leakage was discovered and three powerful pumps to deal With any further inflow were installed. The fourth and last successful attempt to refloat the Macuata raised cheers from several hundred spectators, most of whom had travelled the 17 miles from Gisborne to watch the operation in cold, rainy weather. Two pumps from the Gisborne Fire Brigade manned by two members of the brigade and one pump from a machinery company were installed for the tow to Gisborne.

Captain R. Lidgard, of the Macuata. paid tribute to the skipper of the Otapiri. Mr H. Julian, describing him as the best small tug-boat skipper in New Zealand.