ALARMING DOCK ACCIDENT AT AUCKLAND.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2068, 30 November 1906, Page 3

ALARMING DOCK ACCIDENT AT AUCKLAND.

MANY CEUSHED AND INJUEED. TWO MEN MISSING AUCKLAND, Nov. 37. An accident happened while ihi Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company's steamer Mainari was being docked. As the water subsided it is presumed '.he blocks gave way, for the steamer slipped forward, causing an enormous displacement of water in the dock. Nearly 50 men were employed scraping the vessel's sides, and when tho vessel canted they were, level with tho rolling) chocks. Tho sudden subsidence caused a huge wave to sweep up and down, tho dock, tho 50 men being washed about among tho Hooting, pontoons and shores. Many were dashed against the concrete sides of the dock and then back against tho vessel.

Two inelc men, E. Clark and AY. May, residents of Ponsonby, are missing- They we working on tho rolling chicks, and it is surmised they, aro below these, but a diver failed to find them.

Tho accident would have been worse but for the fact that most of the shores retained their positions, thus keepine the vessel upright; otherwise many more would have been crushed. Those injured are;—Eranklyn, W. Knox H. Taylor, Western (seriously), J. Mayall (serioufdy), Lnngley (2), Kenneth, Scott, Jules, Poynton, Carson, G. Evans, S. Austin, J. Anderson, J. Wilson, T. Clark, G. Smith (both legs fractured), Carr, Honaghnn, Flanigan, S. Trengrove.

FURTHER DETAILS. WELLINGTON, Nov. 27. The Marnari had entered the dock at high water for the purposo of being repainted as the tide receded. Nearly 50 men wore busily engaged washing tho hull as a preliminary to painting, when, without tho slightest warnino-, the huge bulk of tho 6000ton steamer slid bodily forward about four feet and settled down upon the dock ibottom. The water at the time reached to about the vessel's bilge keels, but when tho Mamari settled down in such) a sudden manner tho extra displacement raised a commotion similar to a tidal wave, which swept backwards and forward in the narrow basin, overwhelming th« worker* in & %erribk| confusion of drifting pontoon* and broken timber. Tho men who had been scrubbing tho iron hull were in nn instant engulfed in tho seething water, which swept them helplessly against tho cement sides of tho dock, and threw them back against the iron hull with terribta force. Few escaped injury, and at loast two men woro either killed or drowned.

It was with a crashing noiso that the vessel made the fatal forward move, and the wonder was that she did not rip out all the wooden 6horos which propped her in an upright position. A number of shores fell, but luckily the majority held. The Mamari fortunately kept a perpendicular position, and the men who were stru "•"•line in tho water were mercifully, spared the torriblo death of boir. crushed between tho ship and the dock side.

When ti.ll tho workmen floating had/ reached the dock side and the water had become calm, there was a hasty muster of the roll, and tho discovery made that two men were missing who had been working near the vessel's rolling chocks. The names were Hark, a painter, aged 22, living in Ponsonby, and May, a painter, aged 22 also, living in ' Ponsonby. Both men were unmarried.