SAILING OF LINER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21967, 26 November 1934, Page 10

SAILING OF LINER

STRATHAIRD GRAZES WHARF SLIGHT DAMAGE TO PILES The top of one pile near the end of Prince's Wharf on the eastern side was smashed, and a stringer inside .the buffer-piles was forced out of position when projections on tho starboard side of the P. and O. liner Strathaird grazed against them as she backed into the stream from her berth a few minutes after midnight on Saturday. The actual damage caused was slight, but tho prolonged grating as the various projections on tho ship's side pressed against the piles, caused momentary alarm among the small crowd gathered on the wharf to farewell passengers. When the liner arrived on Friday, it was found impossible to back her into her berth, and she was ultimately brought in bow first. As there was an ebb-tide at sailing time, and it was realised to bo impossible to back so large a vessel against it, it was decided to swing the bow up-harbour after leaving the wharf, and then to turn completely round in the stream with the assistance of tho Auckland Harbour Board's tug Te Awhina. At four minutes past midnight, the liner commenced to back out from the wharf, with the tug at the bow on tho port side. The stern moved away from the wharf rapidly, but it was soon apparent that nearer the bow the vessel would not clear the piles. People on the wharf did not seem to sense the impending impact until a sergeant of police shouted "a warning, when there was a general scramble away from the edge. The actual impact was only slightly felt on tho wharf, but there was a loud grating as the sido of the 1 ner moved slowly by. Once in the stream the original plan was followed. After manoeuvring backward and forward several times, the liner was seen to be turning slowly between the end of Prince's Wharf and Stanley Point. Over half an hour elapsed before she was half-way round, but 15 minutes later she was headed seawards, and was out of sight round North Head by one o'clock. > ' *