A TRYING TIME
NGAHERE IN DIFFICULTIES. The Blackball Company's steamer Ngahere was delayed in Gisborne from the 15th inst. till last Monday evening, when she got away for Wellington. When attempting to .leave in continuation of her voyage from Limestone Island to Napier and Wellington, the vessel ran on a bank of silt, which, it is stated, was caused by a frosh coming down the river.
On Wednesday the dredges Mani and John Townley were used to prepare a channel for the Ngahere to sail out by, and at about 3.30 p.m., with a favourable tide, the Mani took a direct line from her and a second line was taken to the town wharf and hauled on by the ship's own winches. :The net result was progress by exactly one foot, and then the at : tempt was abandoned. The Ngahere being of rather flat bottomed build, the suction against the silted bottom was tremendous. The next day (Thursday) ■ the attempts met with no better success. .It was expected that the Ngahere would : be on an even keel and drawing lift., but she was drawing 12ft forward and lift aft. The intention was to fill the Ngahere's ballast tanks with town water (her pumps are silted up) and put her on an even keel. When a turn was taken out of the steamer's engines her propellers sent water, silt, and driftwood flying high in the air, part of the blades being out' of the water. •.
Eventually the efforts to rret the steamer afloat were successful, and she sailed last Monday night for Napier, Wellington, and Greymouth.
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Greymouth Evening Star, 27 May 1914, Page 7
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265A TRYING TIME Greymouth Evening Star, 27 May 1914, Page 7
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