Capital Mops Up; Little Serious Damage

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31984, 10 May 1969, Page 1

Capital Mops Up; Little Serious Damage

(New Zealand Frets Association)

WELLINGTON, May 9. Wellington residents mopped up today as conditions returned to normal after yesterday’s storm.

Local authorities reported that remarkably ittle serious damage had been caused by the storm in spite of gales which set a record wind speed for the year of 85 m.pJi. Ths port was-' reopened to shipping to 10.42 a.m. after the pilot lamfch Tuafcinx

found the missing section of the Wahine about 70 feet

from its original position. An R.N.Z.A.F. Orion antisubmarine aircraft, using its detecting gear on several low runs across the harbour, confirmed that the channel was clear. An Air Force spokesman said it was not possible to identify the misring hull portion because of its closeness

if to the remainder of the Wait hine.

However, a large metal object was detected underwater near Point Halswell. The Deputy Harbourmaster (Captain C. M. Sword) identified the object as an American landing barge which sank during World Wir 11. Most of the 20 men who rode out the storm op the salvage vessel Holmpark, which was moored near the Wahine, were resting today. The salvage company still dbes not know how the breaking up of the Wahine will affect plans for disposing of the wreck. The Municipal Electricity Department was forced to make temporary repairs to faults during the storm and

will spend the next two days tidying up and improving the repair work. “Everyone, so far as we know, has got power,” a spokesman said.

Both Cook Strait ferries sailed as soon as Wellington Harbour was pronounced cleat of wreckage. They were about 90 minutes late. The inter-island ferry Maori, which turned back to Lyttelton on Thursday when the harbour was closed, arrived at Wellington at 8.45 p.m. today. The Union Steam Ship Company’s Wellington branch manager (Mr C. D. Stevens) said little difficulty was expected in loading the ferry for a return voyage the same night.