CITY OF KIMBERLEY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 3, 3 July 1931, Page 9

CITY OF KIMBERLEY

TO WAIT AT AUCKLAND

PROPELLER FROM ENGLAND

(By. Telegraph.—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, 2nd July. With a broken tailshaft and no propeller, the Ellerman Bucknall steamer City of Kimberley, from New York, arrived to-day after being towed for 1335 nriles"by the New Zealand Shipping Company's motor; vessel Opawa, which rescued the distressed ship, in the Pacific Oqean on 22nd June. This was one of the largest. towing feats to end at Auckland. ■ ••■:-.-. .'■.■■.".-. /'The most probable thing is that the vessel struck a submerged object," said Captain Arthur W.Wooster, master, of the City of Kimberley. "At 1.45 p.m. on Sunday, 21st June, we were standing on deck talking, when suddenly the ship commenced to vibrate violently. We knew at once that the trouble concerned the propeller. We put a ladder down over the stern, and found that the propeller, had gone and that part of the shaft had broken off. A wireless call for aid was sent out, and next day the Opawa arrived. The tow commenced that evening, and proceeded without incident, a day's run varying from 185 to 100 miles." Captain Wposter said that a new propeller and shaft would have to be obtained from England,' which would probably mean that the vessel would bo laid up for two months. No water had leaked into the ship, but until she had been examined in dock, where she would go on Monday, the full extent of the damage would not be known. The City of Kimberley's Auckland cargo will be unloaded here in the. ordinary way. , As the vessel will probably be delayed for some-time awaiting repairs, the question of' transhipping her other cargo might arise. No decision, however, will be made in this connection until the vessel has entered dry dock and tho extent of the damage is' estimated. The vessel carries general cargo from New York for Auckland, Napier, Wellington, Lyttelton, Dunedin, and Sydney^ ..