AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLIII, Issue 2568, 22 April 1922, Page 5

AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE

CYLINDER COVER SMASHED

A SENSATIONAL EPISODE.

During the holidays Mr and Mrs F. B. Woodard, of Leeston, and Mrs. Woodard's parents, took a trip to. Wellington and from there had a run across to Picton and back on Saturday in the Union Company's steamer Wainui. While the vessel was making the trip up the Wellington harbour early on Sat-, iirday evening the top of the high pros-' sure cylinder bjow off, necessitating tin1 i vessel being brought to a standstil. . There was some consternation among i the passengers, but they were assured i that nothing that jeopardised the saf ejty of the ship had happened. The weather, fortunately, was fine, and there was no wind. Mr Woodard states that the passengers found it interesting to see how the coloured light signals were answered by other craft and how quickly assistance was forthcoming. Fortunately, Mr Woodard says, no member of the engine-room staff was injured, though the cylinder cover was smashed into a hundred fragments, and the engine room was filled with steam. After waiting some time the Wainui was towed to town by the Union Company 's tug Terawhiti, and was berthed safely at the Ferry wharf. The Wainui | had to be detained in port for several | days in order that repairs could be I effected. The Wainui had 40 passengers on board, and at 10 minutes to 6 p.m., when off Kelp Point south-east of Point Halswell there was a sound of a muffled report, which issued from the engine room. Simultaneously the vessel vibrated from stem to stern. The engine stopped immediately and it was ascertained that the high pressure cylinder top had blown off and the crank bearing was badly damaged. The cylinder cover lay in fragments in the engine room. The chief engineer, Mr Berwer, who happened to be standing by, promptly shut off the steam when the crash occurred. The small steamer -Kapuni, which had left the wharf at 5.30 p.m. for Patea, came alongside the disabled Wainui and Captain A. P. Gibson, of the former vessel, kindly consented to return f.o town with a request that.a tug be sent to tow the Wainui to the wharf. By Morse lamp Captain Sewell, of the Wainui, also transmitted to Beacon Sill signal station at Seatoun a'request that the Union Company officials be informed of the accident, and a request made for the assistance of a tug!

Tlie Union Company officials received the message and the tug Tcrawhiti was dispatched to the Wainui's aid. The tug was alongside the disabled boat, at twenty minutes 1^) 8, and she towed the latter vessel up to the Ferry wharf, where the Waiuui tied up at 9.30 p.m. Mi1 and Mrs Woodard came south by Monday night's ferry steamer.