STEAMER KAIPARA

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7038, 28 January 1910, Page 1

STEAMER KAIPARA

TOWED TO CALLIOPE DOCK. DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT ... - ■ , ,£20,000... . ; TRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, January 27. The steamer Kaipara was towed into Calliope dock this morning, the tug Terawliiti being alongside keeping down, tho water. By 6 p.m. the dock had been pumped dry and an. inspection of the Kaupara w,as able to be made. The damage done is considerable. For some thirty yards on the starboard side right on , -to the . bilge is' a 1 rip measuring in some places fully eighteen inches wide, and it gives some idea of tlie force with which - the vessel struck the obstruction which barred her way in the channel. The rip starts" at the rolling chock from tho shoulder, about 30ft from the bow, where the two plates meet, the plate being bulged in some 20 inches. From wit of the curpc for about 80 or 90 feet.tihe plates are opened, the lower, plate being forced in- upon the upper and numerous rivets being torn 'out. About 6 feet of the rolling chock is curved right back. Apparently the vessel struck.the obstruction si second time, for a little aft of the .rolling chock, about .amidships, right under the floor forward, is another rip extending some 20ft. Several plates are here bulged in, but the rivets nre not gone.

Between forty and fifty new plates will be required. The rip, which is a. horizontal one, is over 3ft above the keel, and quite 20ft below the waterline.

The Kaipara's keel appears to be quite undamaged, and also the portside.

It is estimated that the damage to the vessel is fully £20.000. ' There is still some six-feet of water in the vessel. ,Nos. 2 and 3 holds were cleared of their cargo (which included tho once frozen mutton), whilst out in tho bay, and there nowonly remains part of No. 1 and Nos. 4 and 5.

No. 1 hold* which contains wet wool, will be cleared almost immediately, but Nos.- 4 and 5, which are in the undamaged portion of the vessel, will be left untouched, for the present.

All the salvage men have been paid I off, but a few will shortly he re-'en-ga,g_ed to discharge No. 1 hold. Yesterday afternoon a party consisting of Captain Clayton and Mr Ashton (Lloyd's representatives)., Captain Taylor (Salvage Association), Captain Plunket (New Zealand Underwriters' Association), and Mr C. V. Houghton (local manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company), inspected the exterior of the vessel, but oiving to the cargo preventing them from getting inside tliey were unable to'form any .estimate of the damage, and it will probably bo some time before this is arrived, at. It -is more -than -probable that the Kaipara will take fully three months to repair, but no contract for the work can be let until same idea is obtained a? .to. the full extent of the damage. The,inquiry into the mishap will be held at 10 o'clock to-morrow before Mr <?. C. Kettle, S.M., and Captains! Poet and Read.. ..