LOSS OF KARU.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 25 March 1926, Page 9

LOSS OF KARU.

EXPERIENCES OF ENGINEER

CYCLONIC WEATHER CONDITIONS

(BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION. > AUCKLAND, March 25. The Kara inquiry was continued today. George Nelson, engineer, said that he felt the vessel touch a pile when berthing at Whangape. He made an inspection. but failed to find any damage. When crossing the bar he felt one slight bump. He took soundings and found two inches of water in the hold and four inches in the engineroom. The soundings were norriial. Speed was reduced at 10 p.m. Shortly after midnight there was about a foot of water in the engine-rosm bilges. The witness had the bilges pumped quite dry. Soundings in the hold showed 18 inches of water. After half an hour’s pumping it had increased to 19 inches, and despite pumping the water increased at the rate of two inches an hour. The ship began .to list to starboard about seven in the morning. Two or three'seas swept over the ship and washed the engine-room door in. The water then began to pour in, and' further seas opened up a plate in the ship’s side. It was impossible to- keep up steam or to control the water, so all hands were ordered on deck. The weather conditions resembled a cyclone.