CYRENA WRECK

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1925, Page 6

CYRENA WRECK

THE INQUIRY YESTERDAY'S EVIDENCE. I (Per Press Association.) WANGANUI, June 16. The Cyrena inquiry was continue’! j-day. Captain 11. Johnson. signt’L lan at the Pilot Station, gave evience as to taking a gauge at higo. ater on the day the vessel foundered, t was perfectly safe to have brought ie Cyrena in that day, with two feet F water under her bottom. He would ive considered a foot ot water a safe largin. That day the lowest watei t the bar at high water should, a?. >rding to the gauge, have been eight. »n feet seven inches. He considered aptnin Patterson. with his vessel rawing sixteen feet six inches, was erfectly justified in coming in. The evidence of Captain Patterson f the Cvrena, will be taken this af. •rnoon. CAPTAIN’S EVIDENCE. At the nautical enquiry to-day into he wreck of the Cyrena. th e Harbour Taster’s assistant confirmed the pilot’s tatements as to the soundings taken n the bar, saying that the depth at igh water, when the Cyrena attemptd to cross, was 18 feet seven inches. Captain Patterson, of the Cyrena, lid his steamer was drawing 16 feet ix inches. After the vessel grounded, ne sounding showed 17 feet. The essel was fast for some distance amid hips, and towards the stern, but uas float towards the bow and stern. Her argo was trimmed, and the water ba’iist adjusted, and the draught at the tern lessened by a foot, in an effort get over the obstruction. At eight ’clock that night the holds were dry, ut at 8.30 there was 14 feet of water ii the after hold, and 10 feet in the ore hold. The damage was caused by he Cyrena lifting and bumping hcavly. She was drifting broadside on o the North Mole, and taking all the eas she could get. She appeared to e not rigid, and to be very seriously .■imaged, her structure giving indicaions of bulging amidships. Using the ngine power and the helm, he was ble to get her stern to sea before she pally settled. He squared her amt ut the engines ahead, tlil she was rmly ashore. He could hear plates rm-king, so much so. that he was anx:>us to get the ship firmly settled in rder to obviate further damage. From he time of the initial stranding, the yrena never left the bottom. In conequenco of all these circumstances, ’itness concluded that the state of he steamer was hopeless. An inspecion next morning showed a buckling f the plates on the starboard side!, fitness did not think the damage ould have sustained on a safe mud ould havp been sustained on a safe, lud bottom.