REFUSAL TO SAIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19616, 21 October 1925, Page 8

REFUSAL TO SAIL.

WAINUI HELD CJP. CREW ALLEGE VESSEL DAMAGED. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, October 20. Declaring that the Wainui was not seaworthy, tho crew refused to take the ship to sea to-night, just as she was about to sail for Tpkomaru Bay, Gisborne, and Napier. The action of the men is tho sequel to a complaint they made earlier in the day that the Wainui had touched a bank when going out of the inner harbour at Napier last week. The master and officers declare that if the vessel did touch a bank the impact was very slight, and was not noticed hy them. In order to assure the crew that the Wainui was not damaged the Union Company had the ship inspected to-day by tho Government surveyor of ships. As a further precaution the bottom of the hull was thoroughly examined by a harbour board diver, who was unable to find any marks to indicate that tho ship had recently collided with a submerged object. Both he and the surveyor declared tho vessel to be seaworthy. This did not satisfy the crow, who requested that the Wainui should be docked before she left port. As this was not done, they declined to take her from the wharf. Tlie final decision of the men was made at sailing time-—8 o’clock—when the Wainui was fully loaded, and the passengers, about 35 in number, had embarked with their luggage. Being a wet night, the passengers, some of whom were women and children, did not relish getting their luggage ashore and returning to their homes. In consequence of the action of the men they will be paid off to-day. The Wainui’s departure is being postponed indefinitely.