REPAIRS TO WAHINE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 149, 9 June 1936, Page 9

REPAIRS TO WAHINE

Ship to be Laid Up for the Winter PRELIMINARY INQUIRY By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, June 8. A preliminary inquiry into the circumstances attending the mishap to the inter-island steamer Wahine, which collided with Pipitea Wharf on Friday morning, was held to-day by the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine, who will forward a report to the Minister of Marine for consideration. A start was made to-day with the stripping of the damaged plates on the ship’s bow above the water-line to enable a complete survey to be carried out. The broken and crumpled plates and frames wore cut out by oxy- acetylene torches and removed on punts. The clearing-away of this material shows the forepeak bulkhead to have been considerably bent and that the shaft of the bow rudder was not only bent but broken at the couplings. The removal of the lower part of the fractured stembar aud of the crumpled plates attached to it will have to wait on the docking of the ship. It is understood that the Rangatira, which is lying at Clyde Quay Wharf having the superheaters in her boilers renewed, will be ready for recommissioning about the end of this month. The Wahine is to be laid up for the winter months, and permanent repairs to her damaged bow and other work will bo carried out during that period.