AN EXCITING VOYAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10901, 16 May 1921, Page 5

AN EXCITING VOYAGE

MISHAPS TO MAPOURIKA SEAS POUR THROUGH PORT IN STRAIT. COLLISION WITH WHARF. The Union Steam Ship Company’s passenger steamer Mapourika, ■ 1208 tone, had adventurous experiences yesterday morning on her way from Nelson to Wellington. Through an oversight a port in the stewards’ storeroom (which contains provisioned was left open, and a considerable quantity of water got into the vessel, damaging foodstuffs before the trouble was discovered. While the vessel was comI ing up to her berth at No. 6 (inner tee). Queen's Wharf, she was caught by a violent squall, causing her to crash into the outer end of the inner tee, resulting in between £2OO and £3OO worth of damage to the wharf. Only slight damage was received by the Mapourika. A STEWARD’S DISCOVERY. The stewards’ storeroom, through the port of which the water poured, is situated on the ’tweeu-deck midship on the starboard side. About 5 o’clock yesterday morning, when the Mapourika was being badly buffeted off Cape Terawhiti, in Cook Strait, some stewards in their sleeping quarters over the storeroom heard the rushing of water below. They hastened to investigate, and when the storeroom door watt unlocked, they found seas gushing through the open port. The port was immediately closed, and an examination showed that' the water hnd damaged the provisions in the storeroom, and had found its wav along the *tween-deck into the after-hold. Fortunately, £he hold contained no cargo. Owing to the water-tight balkhcad no water got into the engine-room. Tho ship’s pumps were promptly put into operation to clear the after-bold. As the port was well above the waterline the seas had got in only intermittently. COLLISION AT WELLINGTON. While the Mapourika was coming up to her berth at No, 6, Queen’s Wharf, in the howling southerly gale, a squall caused the ship to swerve, and she cut twelve feet into the outer end of the inner tee before she could be stopped. The vessel backed out a little, and then berthed without further trouble. The decking of the wharf has a big gap which was railed off as soon as possible for public safety. A hydraulic water pipe used Stor operating the wharf cranes was cut through, and a good deal of water ran to waste before the supply could be turned off. Stringers and cross beams were carried away, and although the ship's bows went midday between two piles one of them waa badly cracked by'the impact. The Mapourika’s bows were considerably scraped, and a couple of rivets well above the water-line on the port aide. 12 feet from the stem, were started.' Yesterday the water in the fore-peak ballast task was issuing in tiny jets through the two rivet holes. The Masponrika’s pnrmps were kept going np till last evening to get out the water that had come in through the storeroom port. Some years ago the same port waa accidentally left open when, the Mapourika was coming out of Westport.' Before the oversight was noticed the storeroom was flooded out. TIMETABLE NOT AFFECTED. The Mapourika had been arranged to withdraw from commission to-day, and the Arahurn was fixed to maintain the WeUington-Picton-Nelson service alone while the farmer vessel was being overhauled. Therefore the necessity for the Mapourika to have her alight damageq repaired before putting to sea again will not occasion any hitch in timetable arrangements. Captain Elders,* master of the Mapourika, is recognised as a akilfal navigator and seaman, and the mishap to his vessel will cause much sytapathy to be expressed for him.