THE STEAMER KAIPARA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12654, 24 January 1910, Page 5

THE STEAMER KAIPARA.

THE SALVAGE WORK!' INTERESTING DETAILS EXPECTED AT INQUIRY. (Special to Herald.) AUCKLAND, this day. • A good deal of interesting evidence it liktely to come out at the nautical inquiry into the Kaipara mishap, .which will be held next Friday. At the time of the accident it was "reported that a pilot had taken the boat out into midharbor, and then landed at Victoria wharf, Devonport. This statement was inaccurate, no pilot* haying been engaged. The assistant harbormaster unberthed the vessel, and then left her, but there was no pilot aboard. It is also reported that interesting evidence relative to the exact position m which the ship struck will, be given by officers from Fort Cautley. When vessels are leaving the port* it is the custom to often train the guns on them for practice. . In the, Kaipara's case it is stated that the guns Irom the fort Were trained on the vessel as she rounded the point, and that they were on her at the exact moment that she struck. If this information is m the hands of the Marine Department there should be ho difficulty m locating the spot where the Kaipara really came to grief. Some interesting information is disclosed m the last year's New Zealand Pilot relative to the silting up of Rangitoto Channel, and the gradual formation of a sandbank, which is slowly filling m towards Rangitoto Island. According -to the New Zealand Pilot of 1908 (p. 36), a sandbank, with depths of from two to three fathoms, extends westward one and a half cables, and southward two cables from Rough Rock, which is just inside tlie luminous buoy, at the entrance to Auckland harbor. A red buoy is moored m about four fathoms of water on the south-eastern edge of this bank. A warning is given that surveys of Auckland harbor made- m 1855 and 1884 show that the depth m Rangitoto Channel eastward '. of the Rough Rock decreased about- three feet befifereiujhose dates. In the same period also extensile, .rocks formed north-east-ward of Takapuiia. Head, and near Rough Rock, arid these banks appear ib be merging into one shoal and working to the eastward, whicli Would'be. in the direction of where, the Kaipara; struck. Tlio work of salvaging the cargo 'of the Kaipara is proceeding sloM'ly under great, difficulties. Oh Friday the men engaged were granted a further rise m wages, owing to the difficulties under whifeh they are worlcing. The sterich aboard the vessel is almost unendurable, and the work of the men m the holds; handling,,! he eavease.s of meat, is most trying. Up to the present 100 gallons of formalin and two tons of disinfectants have been used on the ship, and as fast as the meat is fished up out of the hold it is hosed with disinfectant. It was expected that the lost of the mutton cargo would be taken out on- Saturday, and • salvage operations should lie completed within a week, when the vessel will be docked. '. Sbnie 40Q0 bales of wool salvaged from the Kaipara will be taken to London by the s.s. Swanley, which left, on Saturday. Tenders have been let to local firms for the scouring, with- hot water and soap, bf 3300 bales . of wool taken from the damaged holds.