FIRE ON A FERRY-BOAT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14499, 16 April 1909, Page 6

FIRE ON A FERRY-BOAT

THE MA'l'AlilKt ISUHXKD TO TIIE

WATER'S HUUIi

A C'OMI'LICTK WIiHC'K.

The ferry-boat Matariki (named after tlio Pleiades cluster of sun's), running between Uuiicditi and l'ortobcilo ami way ports, anil owned by the Peninsula Shipping L'oiiijuniv, was destroyed by fire at Portokello between 1 and 2 a.m. ycstmlay. Ihe Matariki was n twiu-scrow steamer of 230 h.p., and was built at Auckland in Xo\emb>r of Inst year, at a cost of nearly £'5090, and sailed from Auckland to Dunedin, meeting on her pa-cage down tome very rough weather, during Vhiclt Iter cap. la-iii had a narrow escape from drowning, and the steamer had to stop f o r a few (lays at ono of the East Coast ports to effect repairs. On her arrival here she at Once started in the ferry service, running in coujimctioM with the 6.8. Moerangi, owned by the same company, ami during the summer holidays proved herself to be a ponular and rclhible ferry-boat. Kho had* a slight. mishap shortly after starting tier running, her rudder being carried jnvav on one of her trips, and she nfl;nvards came into collision with the ferry-beat. Maheno

the latter circumstance being the subject of a marine inijuiry. Her owners, the Peninsula .Shipping Company, comprise a number of Dmiiulin gentlemen, who formed themselves into a company in December of last year for the purpo-e of taking over the steamer Moerangi ittul ilia then unfinished Matariki.

The cireum.sla.nces under wlhicli the fire original:'*! on board the boat arc shrouded in doubt. The Matariki left on her usual run from Dunedin to Porlobelhi on Wednesday at 5.15 p.m., and arrived at l'ortohello at 6.50 p.m., berthing at, the jetty, and the u.s. Moerangi, later on, was berthed alongside her. The Matariki's crew comprised Captain »Seolla\\ Messrs A. Macdonald (engineer), K. Weir (fireman), and J. M'Gill (deck hand and night watchman). At 0 p.m., in accordance with the usual custom, the captain and crew, after locking tho engine room ami swing that everyi'liiiing at hoard was safe, went ashore, and at 10 p.m. Mr M'Oill (the deck hand and night, watchman) went hack to tho steamer, and after looking round and ascertaining that everything was safe, retired to bed on Ixxird. Captain Mitchell (of the Moerangi) and Mr J. Sutherland (of the same vessel) went, over tho Malariki to their own vessel at about the same time that M'Gilj went to Ixxl, and -they also report, that everything was then safe. At- nktrfc 1 a.m. M'dtll was awakened by a, noise of fire, ami on jumping up and running on deck he found the | vessel in a. blaze, i.he fire ha'vin.g apparently started abaft the engine rootu, in a spaco used for storage, and where kerosene for cleaning and for the lamp; was ko.pt. Opening the engine-room door, M'f.lill found this to be like a furnace, and, in a half-stilled condition, ho gave the alarm ami called the two men on the Moerangi to canto to his assistance to subdue tho fire. The steamer was equipped with fire appliances, and ihes-e were immediately brought, into requisition, and the three men with tho aid of the fire hose and the donkey engine worked hard to keep the flames, which by this time had a strong hold, in subjection. Mr Moss, of the Tarewai, who had also been roused, came to '.lie assistance of the men who were battling with an apparently hopeless task, and with his hose and pumps he also directed a stream of water into the ina,-s of Ihinics. .Mr Barnes, a local blacksmith, and others oa-mo quickly upon the scene, but the lira had obtained the complete mastery, although some of the workers got themselves nearly roasted in their efforts to conquer it. Oil tiile lire reaching tho kerosene in the engine-room there was a lond explosion, a fiercer burst of flame, and it then became apparent that I,lie vessel >vas doomed. Kcalising this, an effort was made to tow I.he blazing ferry-steamer out so that site might l:e sunk in deep water, but it being very low water at the time, site stuck, o,nd all that could be done was to watch her consume away. 'The process of destruction did not take long, the hull being burned down to the water's edge, and the rising tide getting over tho sides of the embedded vessel put a. stop to the havoc of lianie, only to cover up the wreckage with water. The only portions of the steamer visible at high water were her deckhouse and funnel.

Xo explanation as to the cause of tho fire is attempted. It is conjectured that possibly a smouldering rag somewhere in the afterhold was the cause, but of tho existence of such a cause thaw was no evidence at 10 p.m., whwi tho night wa.tchntan retired to Ixxl after going his customary round. The e.s. Moerangi, lying alongside the burning Matariki, was speedily got out. o! tho way ivhon the alarm was given, as she had a deck load consisting partly of benzine.

Tho_ Malariki was insured for £3000 in the Xew Zealand oflice, but the risk was djsti'ibuted over three others, of which the Victoria Insurance Company hold £1000, the National ollice holding between £6CO and £700, and another office a 1 smaller sum-thc total amount ri'-insttrod lieing £2333 6s Bd. The Peninsula Shipping Company will thus lose a considerable sum, and it, is understood tha-t.the Messrs Weir, of tho company, will be exceptionally heavy losers.

The directors amd underwriters visited the vessel to decide what can be done with the remains, and hopes are entertained that the boiler and machinery may bo salvaged, and jmssibly some of ihe hull.

The ilirecl'ors, at a mooting yesterday, decided to carry on the winter tirue-table of the Malariki with the Moorangi, and it is understood that immediate steps are to bo taken to replace tho lost vessel with an up-to-date ferry-boat, which it is hoped to have in readiness for next summer's holiday traffic.

The engineer of the boat lost £8 worth of wearing apparel, and the deck hand also lost his dothing. 1

Tlvo company desires to express its »p- I prceiation ot the efforts put forth by Mr Moss, of the Tarewai, tho men on the. Moe-/ rangi, and others, to subdue the fire, and considers that everything that was possible was done under ilia unfortunate circumstance?, some of the incn even risking their own safety to eave the steamer from destruction.