THE COLLISION IN THE MANAWATU RIVER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9517, 18 May 1911, Page 5

THE COLLISION IN THE MANAWATU RIVER.

Mr Crabb, managing director of the West Coast S.S. Co., Palmerston, '■ mo'-, tored to the scone of tho wreck' yesterday ■ afternoon. 110 states that a hole, 2 feet by a foot, has been cut in the' Wairau just about 'midships, A diver and pumping gear will arrive from Wellington. to-day and pumping operations .will be: commenced as soon as' possible ■' perhaps.to-morrow. The after hatch of. the vessel is completely clear of the water, but the water .reaches to the forehatch at.low .water. Mr Crabb expects that inost-'of' the coal will be got out and there Ms little doubt the vessel will bo saved unless.sho slips off the bank mto deep water and with tho idea of preventing this tho contents of the afterhold will not bo touched. There is. no .insurance on. tho cargo and the vessel. also is uninsured.' Mr Crabb states that, tlio lose of tho coal or, at least, the delay •in delivery, • j V . customers, the company liJMng sufficient slock on 1 .hand to satisfy requirements. . " Mr Famer, engineer .of the Wairau, was in 1 aliiierston to-day'securing canvas, with which it is intended to cover the nolo and other places where the water is likely to' get into tho vessel. As-soon as this is done pumping operations will be commenced and the coal placed jn lighters. i' . In view of the Marine "enquiry Mr Famer is reticent as to the details of. .the occurrence, but states they are quite tho reverse of the talo told by the, officers of the Himatangi, He is not altogether' sanguine a s to its being possible to save ' the coal forehead owing to there beimr: several feet of water in the hold ; it will : P cn d result of the pumping , e ess <?l is well clear of tho fairwav ' and so long as she remains in her orcscnt posjion wiiUot bo in anybody's wav. vessel built to i ; orth ' Ncw Zoa|an d, o .tho outer of J.' Asperano, Picton. She - .98 feet long, 23 feet beam, .with a draught or 7 foot 1 inch. Her tonnage is 143. gross,, and 52 net. A few niontL ago she collided 1 with the' scow Oban in tho Wairau river, It, was found on that occasion -thatneither : vessel had. been ttamage:! to any extent. -.The ■ ■Wairau ' was formerly the sailing vessel Rona. ,