WAITOMO STRIKES ROUGH WEATHER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14704, 3 June 1920, Page 2

WAITOMO STRIKES ROUGH WEATHER.

(i'er Press Association > CHR ISTCHURCH, June 2. The Waitomo which arrived at Lytf'telton from Ueelong to-day, had an exciting trip. At midnight on Tlriirafny last,, when a fierce south-west jjnlo ras blowing and a heavy. «eai running, the bJj-ttons on No. 2 hatch broko adirft •and were replaced with'difficulty. ". -At 2.30 p.in. on Friday tho steering''<;hain broke and the vessel fell away in the trough of the sea. All hands were employed in lashing down the rudder quadrant, which was threshing madly to and fro, which task was eventually, accomplished. An attempt was then, made to ship the liandsteerin'g \gcar, and ■ while this was in. progress'_the lashing on the quadrant was carried away and the connecting shafts of the hand-,steering gear broke. For three hours in the pitch darkness the deck and engineer officers struggled to splice the chain with «■ piece of steel hawser. The vessel was rolling heavily, and the men were working waist dec]) in water. J'Vequently they had to drop tools and hang on when the waves broke aboard. \ Ultimately tho splicing was completed and the vessel got under way again* On Saturday morning tlie pounding of the seas caused No. 2 hatch to Again j burst open, but it was battered down without loss: of time. The weather cleared considerably on Sunday, and ' the Waitomo had a fair ruiv down to Lyttclton. In all she travelled <OO | miles with a. patched up rudder clinm. ! 500 of which wen; through a raginc gale, the chain having to be '""jS i- with the greatest care: She. has 50,0W ■ .sacks of wheat to discharge atLyttel'- • ton and 20,0f)0 sacks for Timaru. , I ' ■ ■ :