WAIRUNA REACHES PORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19119, 10 September 1925, Page 8

WAIRUNA REACHES PORT.

TOWED FOR 350 MILES. GOOD SPEED MAINTAINED. The Upion; .Company's Transpacific .cargo steamer Wairuna arrived at Auckland from San Francisco at mid-day yesterday after being towed by tho Wai&Jmo for 350 miles.

The Wairuna has 10,000 tons of case oil. and general merchandise from Pacific Coast ports,, She cleared Ban Francisco on August 11 and experienced moderate weather until south of the equator. Strong south-vrest winds to gale with rough head seas and a high southerly swell were then encountered. When about 1200 miles from Auckland the coal supply, which is reported to have been of poor quality, began to run short and on Saturday, when the wind and sea in* creased, it was seen the< fuel supply was not. sufficient to bring the ship to port/

. In consequence the Waihemo was despatched from Auckland on; Sunday morning to assist the Wairuna> reaching her at 1 p.m. on Monday. The weather conditions had moderated and the Waihemo had no difficulty in taking the • Wairuna in tow. A light line was shot on board the Wairuna by a rocket and attached to it was a heavier rope for hauling tin steel hawser on board. When the hawser was shackled to the Wairuna'n cable the journey to Auckland was commenced. The tow was not difficult, as the Wairuna's bunkers contained sufficient, coal to keep her steaming at a moderate speed behind the Waihemo and $ rate of nearly seven knots %vas maintained. On Tuesday night the wind freshened from th« west and there wap a considerable sea. When the Hauraki Gulf was reached at 11 o'clock yesterday morning the Waihemo cast off from the Wairuna and came on to port. f After the Wairuna hove in her cable she steamed into port unaided and berthed at Prince's Wharf.