NOTES.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10761, 8 May 1911, Page 3

NOTES.

The Flora, loading for Wellington, Picton, and West Coast, arrived at Oamaru at 10.30 last evening. She shipped 180 tons of produce, and sailed it 7 o'clock this morning, via Timaru. The Corinna arrived at Oamaru at 11 i,'clock last evening from Dnnedin. She brought with her to land 33 tons genei tl cargo, and shipped 110 tons of produce for Nelson and New Plymouth, .-ailing at 5 o'clock this morning-, via Timaru. The Koromiko is due at Oamaru tomorrow morning from Timaru to dis- . harge 400 tons of W r est Coast coal for t!it> railwavs. Captain A. Cooper has resigned from tiio Union Company's service. He was formerly master of the training-ship Dartford and more recently chief officer nf the Maheno and the Monowai. It is not unlikely that the R.M.S. Aorangi—if she is ready for sea in time. —will replace the Mokoia on May 10 on the run from Wellington to Sydurv. The Aorangi would arrive hack at," Wellington on May 31, in time to i-avo for San Francisco. On June 3 the Mokoia will he taken off the Mel-b.mrne-Cook Strait-Sydney service. The Manuka will then take np her former run. Wireless communication with the New South Wales capital was maintained •luring the trip from Sydney to Wellington of the Hnddart-Parker steamer Climaroa. messages feeing exchanged t.,r two hours nightly. Messages were also occasionally exchanged with the i'onerf ul at Sydney, the Psyche at Melbourne, the Cambrian bound from Norfolk Island to New Zealand, the Osterly hetw-een Sydney and Brisbane, and the I.ovuka between Sydney and Fiji. The Australasian Wireless Company has Heeti laregly concerned with the establishment of equipments for numerous ship and store stations. Passengers by the Uiimaroa, coming from or going to Sydney, can send messages at fourponce a word, with a minimum charge or 3s 6d. up to a distance of 600 miles from Sydney. Beyond that distance the riiarae is doubled.

While the Aotea was in dock at Capetown an examination of the hull was made, when it was found that the most -nous damage was to her forefoot and to her stern parts. At the bow the wved part of the stem had been badly twisted, and there was a. gaping hole r,n the port side, and sundry big dents. (says an exchange). The cavity had bran filled in with some material lookin <z like coir or old mattresses. Parts ot the rusty plating had been twisted into fantastic shapes. In going ashore the stern part'of the Aotea must have como into contact with a big rock. which bent it until the casting cracked and broke off, taking the rudder plate with it, but leaving the propeller practically undamaged. The top part of thft rudder and the coupling remained. A great deal of damage was done thereabouts. When one went beneath the hull it was seen that there were so many damaged plates that it is almost impossible to give an exact description. Amidships the keel seems also to hav» wffered. Many of the plates and frames were dented, and water was dripping from the many holes in the hull tor about 24 hours when the dock had been pumped empty. Many wedges *rert> knocked into the cracks by the divers; but still the Aotea must have leaked like a sieve, and one cannot but congratulate the sailors on the success attending their efforts. Except for the bij; holes at the bow and stern, there v-t-ms to bo no reason why the Aotea should not be speedily patched up; but making a finished job of the whole is <iuite another matter, and must take -•• rr-.- months of hard work.