CANADIAN PIONEER

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11437, 6 February 1923, Page 2

CANADIAN PIONEER

SALVAGING THE CARGO. DISCHARGING BUNKER COAL. (Special to “N.Z. Times.’*) , AUCKLAND, February 5. All the water which had been poured into Number 2 hold of the Canadian Pioneer to fliod the cargo that had taken fire early on Thursday morning was pumped out and in the evening it was possible to walk about the hold at the bottom of the ship, where, seven hours before, there was twelve feet of water. As the depth of water was reduced by the pumping, the vessel gradually righted herself and by the time it was all out she was again floating on an oven keek

Salvage operations, which consisted' in discharging the cargo from the hold, progressed favourably, and, besides a large quantity of wool being removed from the ship to the Harbour Board’s shed at the outer end of the Queen's wharf, many bales of flax were also lifted .out and stacked on the wharf.

On Saturday tho Canadian Pioneer was taken from her Queen’s wharf berth to a berth at the eastern side of the Central wharf and the hulk Jubilee was brought alongside her to receive the coal from her bunkers. This amounted to about 800 tons, which will be put out while the cargo is being salvaged. All the flax that was stowed on the wool alongside the bulkhead’ at' the after end of the hold and adjoining the bunkers has been discharged, some of the bales that had evidently been close to the centre of the fire having a scorched and discoloured appearance. On the bottom of the hold were hides, casein, copper ore, wool and flax, all of which bad "been submerged in the water; and it appeared that the hides had begun to decay, making a decidedly unpleasant smell for those working below. The bales of flax, when handled, were found to be considerably heated through sweating in that .part of the hold where the fire had occurred.

After the salvage work has been completed the ship and cargo will be put under survey to ascertain the total amount, of damage that has resulted from the fire.