PAPANUI STRIKES A ROCK.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 691, 16 December 1909, Page 7

PAPANUI STRIKES A ROCK.

BOATS GOT BEADY. FLOATED OFF AFTER. SEVERAL HOURS. (By Telegraph-Preta Association-Copyright) Launccston, December 15. The New Zealand Shipping Company's steel screw \ steamer Papanui, 6582 tons, struck a rook, probably an uncharted one, sis miles' tv est of Waterhouse Island, in Bass Strait, at 8.30 on Monday evening. Tho captain is reticent, but it has been learned that the \essol, , while travelling at the rate of thirteen knots an hour, was brought i to a sudden standstill by a torrifio shock. The boats were got ready. The barquo Kassa, observing signals of distress 1 , wont to the steamer's assistance, but the Papanui floated off easily after being aground for several hours ' t PAPANUI'S MISHAPS. The Papanui arrived at Wellington on De-' comber 7 fiom London,* via Capo Town. She ' camo hero to land passengers, and, aftei lcplemshing bunkers, she sailed on December 8 for Beauty Point, Tasmania, to discharge 2100 tons of railway iron for the Tosmanian Government She was apparently just neaiing i her destination when the m's.hap occuired. i Tho Papanui v-as built in 1898, at tho jaids I of William Denny and Brothels, of Dumbarton, her dimensions being Length, 430 f t; beam, ,silft, depth, 301 ft Hei owners are the New Zealand Shipping Company, [ Captain A. H Riley, R N.R , is at present in command of tho vessel, and has associated with him —Chief, Mi A IS, Dunn; second. Mr. H. S. S Curtis; third, Ml E Pattis>oii) I fourth, Mr C Loadj Mr. W Jenkmson is I chief engineer At midday yestordnj, the local office of tho Now Zealand Shippinp Company received advice that the Pnpanui had struck nn uncharted rock near tho Tasmanian coast The message j added that no ivattt was m the holds, but it is expected that considerable damage lias been dono to tho vessel Serious trouble befell the Tnpanui on two previous occasions Towaids tho end of 1901, while on n voyage fiom New Zealand to I,ondon, 6ho put into Vigo, Span,, in consequence of a fire in No 3 hold A large quantity of the cargo had to >bc jettisoned, nichidinp 38,000 carcasses of mutton I April last nnothor fiia occurred on the vessel while she was lying at Victoria Docks, London Damago to the extent of_ JJIOOO was done to the vessel on that occabion. \ftcr repairs had 'been effected, sho was laid up at Home for some time, and then sailed for AVelhugton and Tasmann towards the end of October.