MARGARET W IN PORT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17227, 5 April 1930, Page 4

MARGARET W IN PORT

30-HOUR TOW ENDED TAILSHAFT COUPLING ,GONE After a tow lasting for 30 hours, the disabled motor-ship Margaret W reached Gisborne from Hicks Bay this morning, berthing at 7 o'clock at the Kaiti whart. The vessel will undergo temporary repairs in Gisborne, and will sail on Monday for Auckland, where she will be put through her annual survey, and will have lermanent repairs'to the tailshaft coup.trig made.

'J he tow from Hicks Bay was carried out under considerable difficulty, the worst of which was involved in the effort to round East Cape, shortly after the commencement of the tow. The Tiroa carried out the tow in excellent style, however, and surprised even those who knew her well by her staunchness in the heavy seas on the coast between Hicks Hay and Gisborne. The effect of the sea conditions is evidenced by the fact 'hat the towline parted ence, off Tubhine, and the task of renewing the linkbetween the. Tiroa and the Margaret W was one requiring careful management •if the tug, this, however, being successfully accomplished. The complement of the Margaret W, on their return to Gisborne this morning, paid a warm tribute to the work of the Tiroa and her handling by Captain Garrett, who recently took command of the steamer.

When the tailshaft coupling of the Margaret W broke on Thursday, the vessel was about three miles off East Cape, and about the same distance off shore, stated Captain Clark, master of : the motor-ship, this morning. The position of the ship at the time was fortunate from the seaman's point of view, for the .vind was from the south-east, and this fact facilitated the return of the Margaret Wto Hicks Pay. The vessel had only a small spread of sail, and matters might have been a great deal worse if the wind bad been in the wrong quarter. No trouble was experienced in bringing the disabled ship into shelter, however, and once in harbor at Hicks Bay there was nothing to do but wait for the arrival of the Tiroa, which vessel was despatched to bring the Margaret W in towto Gisborne. At 1 a.m. yesterday the tow commenced, the sea conditions "being rough, with a heavy swell that put a big strain on the line between the two ships, but except when the hawser parted off Tuahine this morning, the trip was made without any out-of-the-way incident. The conditions were against last progress, but the Tiroa proved very staunch, and eventually completed her task with full credit. The replacement of the tailshaft of the Margaret W will not be necessary, as the 'raeture which put the screw out of action affected only the cast-steel coupling, which item mly will have to be renewed It may be deemed advisable to ship the motor vessel's spare tailshaft while she is undergoing her overhaul at Auckland, but the owners will not V* put to the expense, of providing a coinolete replacement for the one now servine in the ship. The temporary repairs to be effected 'at Gisborne will be facilitated bv the ballasting system of the Margaret W, by means of which it will be possible to raise the stern clear of the water for examination and any necessary attention.