WAIPIATA DOCKED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27389, 15 May 1950, Page 6

WAIPIATA DOCKED

Full Damage Revealed PA ' WELLINGTON, May 14. The great hole in the side of the freighter Waipiata, which extends from the bridge to the bottom, was fully revealed when the ship was raised in the floating dock today. The gash in the Waipiata’s* starboard side, 25 feet deep and 10 feet wide, will be patched temporarily with steel, wood and concrete. She will then make way on the dock for the cargo liner Taranaki, the bow of which will be permanently repaired. Cleared of most of her 3000 tons of cargo since the collision with the Taranaki on Friday, May 5, the Waipiata entered dock with little trouble. The dock was fully lowered to 25 fet to give clearance to the jagged bottom plates, which extended below the ship’s keel from her No. 1 hold. This hold occupied the whole of the ship forward of and under the bridge. Waterside workers last week removed as much of the flooded cargo as they could reach. This was the only hold affected by the water. The lightened Waipiata scarcely gave the appearance of a badly-dam-aged ship as she entered the dock. She was drawing only 16-J feet at the bow and 17 feet at the stern. The ship was taken from the Clyde quay wharf by her master, Captain H. MacNeil, and was attended by the two Wellington tugs,. Tapuhi and Taioma. under perfectly calm conditions. The Waipiata entered dock at 10.40 a.m.. and by 1 p.m. she was clear of water. Engineers then made a preliminary survey of the damage. The remaining waterlogged cargo in her No. 1 hold will be removed on the dock to allow temporary repairs to be made.