TUG CREWS ASK DANGER PAY RATES TO SALVAGE SHIP

Grey River Argus, 25 August 1949, Page 3

TUG CREWS ASK DANGER PAY RATES TO SALVAGE SHIP

The Stranding at Port Phillip Heads MELBOURNE, August 24 The salvage is proposed of the freight steamer “Time”, which yesterday ran upon the Corsair Reef, inside Port Philip Heads, and was first thought to be a complete loss. However, salvage attempts were delayed by a dispute similar to that which involved tugs in the Wellington harbour when the liner Wanganella was on Barrett’s Reef. There was argument over the rates to be paid to the crews of two tugs, the Eagle >and the former Wellington vessel, “Terawhiti”, which figured in the salvaging of the Wanganella. The crews refused to proceed to the stranded ship, unless guaranteed emergency rates amounting to to daily with 10s 6d hourly overtime. The argument prevented efforts yesterday and last night by the tugs to salvage the Time, which, in heavy seas prevailing off the reef, was buffeted and in imminent danger ot breaking up. The owners eventually agreed to pay £5 a day, with 10s 6d an hour overtime. However the Terawhiti did not move to the scene, as she was short of bunker coal. The dispute prevented the tugs being ready to go at the flood tide. Arrangements have been made for a salvage attempt at high tide to-day. The crew manned the pumps and managed to keep the water down to 16 feet in No. 2 hold. The Time is owned by Howard Smith, Ltd., and was built in 1913. She saw service in two wars. She was narrowly missed by air attacks when assisting the landings at Milne Bay. It is feared that, if the Time breaks up in her present position, the wreckage will partially obstruct th P entrance to Port Philip Heads. Five vessels are standing off the heads awa'iting permission to pass the stranded freighter. dangerous work

The crew, except a few, were taken off the Time last night. Forty members of the crew of 44 were taken olt, leaving only a salvage team to man the pumps. Though the land was only 600 yards away the lifeboat was forced to make an eight-mile trip to Queenscliffe because of the rough weather. The transfer of the crew from the stranded ship to a lifeboat provided tense moments, but was accomplished without injury. The lifeboat waited for a lull in the seas and ran into the lee of the vessel. Crew members, wearing life jackets, and without boots, leapt to the lifeboat as opportunity offered. An inspection revealed that the stranding occurred because the shackle of a block in the steering gear carried away in a fair sea and a moderate westerly which took the Time on to the reef. The steering gear has been repaired in readiness for tile salvage attempts. Captain J. P. Williams, who salvaged gold from the Niagara in 1940 and has saved a million pounds’ worth of shipping in Australian and New Zealand waters, is in charge of the operations.