GABRIELLA FREED

Grey River Argus, 4 October 1934, Page 3

GABRIELLA FREED

After 24 Hours Aground TIMBER CARGO LIGHTENED. Lightened bv removing 7**,Od(’) feet of her timber cargo, the ,s.s Gabriella, which went aground in the Grey River shortly before 5 p.m. on Tuesday, was released |a.t about 6.15 o’clock last evening, by the strenuous efforts of her own winches, and those of Uhe s.s. Kaimai v and she was then berthed alongside lhe wha if. Attempts to free the stranded vessel, which were unsuccessful the previous evening, were renewed at o’clock yesterday morning, lines 1"'iug run from the wharf to the vessel, and one of the Harbour Board’s three-inch steel hawsers from the Kaimai to her bow. The strain was imt on these lines at 6.30. and efforts were continued until 7.25 a.m., but without success. During lhe operations. one of the Kaimai’s hawsers, with a breaking strain of 27 tons, carried away. Following on instructions from Ihe Wellington headquarters of the I ni’.m Src'amship Company llril some of the Gabriella’s 800,000 super, feet of timber should be transferred to the Kaimai. the latter was. at 10 a.m.. moved alongside the Gabriella. and about forty members of the Wate’’siders’ Union, working the fore and al‘r ha;!chos. commenced the work ot shifting the timber, with the aid of the ships’ winches. This work was carried Ou until 5 p.m.. 'when 70.000 feet of timber had been t ransi en ed. The watersiders were transported to and from the ships bv the trawler 4 4 Annabella. ’ * The Kaimai was then brought back to the wharf, and hawsers attached to the Gabriella, and from the astnan.ed vessel to the wharf. The strain was put on shortly alter 6 pm., oi an hour before high tide. Without warning, the stranded vessel suddenly moved, and in a moment she was r( floated. soon being berthed alongside the wharf, bel-ow the Kaimai. This morning, at 8 o’clock. the Kaimai will again be moved out into the river, and alongside the Gabriella. when the timber will be transferred back. This iwork will lake all day. and the .Gabriella will be ready to sail again on tide, after being delayed a little over 48 hours through her mishap.