SHIPPING ACCIDENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13938, 21 December 1908, Page 7

SHIPPING ACCIDENTS.

A GALLANT RESCUE. CAPTAIN OF THE URUEOA. [BT TELEGRAPH. — correspondent.] Wangajntji, Sunday. The scow Ururoa which went ashore on Thursday night on the sea beach is still in the same position, and with the exception of the centreboard and deck gear, being smashed the vessel does not appear to be badly injured. It is thought she may be refloat*.J when the sea moderates. The band of heroes worked all Friday afternoon and late into the night with the object of rescuing Captain Harris, who was hanging in the rigging of the vessel. As the afternoon wore on the sea increased, and the group of men who hud come from town, incluu.ng the ship's crew, said that if Captain Harris were not brought ashore quickly he would be drowned. The only possible means of rescuing him was the ship's boat in which the crew had come ashore. Only one pair of oars was available, but a gallant little crew volunteered, and after the greatest difficulty managed to get the boat through the breakers. In the face of great rollers and a flying gale they managed to range alongside the Ururoa, when an exceptionally heavy sea swept them nast, juiis was repeated with disheartening frequency, until much against their wishes the crew realised that nothing could be done until the sea moderated, and they accordingly awaited events. When night drew on it was obvious that Captain Harris was exhausted, and must soon lose his hold. Accordingly, in spite of the gale and darkness a crew, consisting of members of the Ururoa's crew, with Mr. John McFarlane, sailmaker, of Wanganui, as coxswain, pulled out from the beach, and after a great struggle reached the Ururoa. One of the crew pulled the captain., who was almost unconscious, to the side of the ship, whence he was dragged into the boat, which got safely to shore. THE CHARLES EDWARD. POSITION UNCHANGED. [XT TELEGRAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Waxgaxui, Sunday. The position of the steamer Charles Edward is unchanged. The vessel seems to be finking into the sand, and as she is full of water and waves are passing over her the chances of eaivage are remote. TAIERI'S ROUGH EXPERIENCE. The Maori land S.S. Co.'s steamer Taieri, which arrived from Newcastle on Saturday morning with a cargo of coal and sleepers, met with a heavy weather on the voyage. She shipped a number of seas, which rushed into the stokehold and flooded it. A staysail was carried away by the force of the wind, but beyond this no other damage was done.