DAMAGED MOTOR-SHIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20841, 7 April 1931, Page 8

DAMAGED MOTOR-SHIP.

DRY-DOCK SURVEY NEEDED. PORT HOBART AT WELLINGTON. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, Monday. It is believed that the damage done to the motor-ship Port Hobart when she struck a submerged object off Cape Taurakirae on Saturday morning is fairly serious. The full extent of the damage will not bo known until a survey has been made in dry dock.

Cape Taurakirae, which is 18 miles west of Cape Palliser, is a bold headland with the Rimutaka Range extending from it in a north-easterly direction along the west side of Palliser Bay. Low, detached, straggling rocks extend off Taurakirae one-third of a mile and continue almost the same distance from the coast as far as Baring Head, which is nearly three miles to the north-west.

The Port Hobart arrived at Wellington at 7 a.m. on Saturday, but when it was found that fuel-oil was escaping" from her port oil tank amidships, the vessel remained at anchor in the stream, where a diver made an examination of her hull. The ship was berthed at the King's Wharf late in the afternoon. As the oil was still escaping a coffer-dam, in which scrim was largely used, was built along the port side of the shi£ to prevent the oil from spreading on the water. The Port Hobart, which arrived at Wellington from New York, via Auckland, has a fairly large quantity of general cargo to discharge at Wellington and New Plymouth. The vessel was to have left Wellington to-morrow for New Plymouth to complete discharge. It is not known at present whether she will go to Auckland or Port Chalmers to be dry-docked for survey and repairs.