DREDGE KORUA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19023, 25 May 1936, Page 6

DREDGE KORUA

WANTON DAMAGE DONE CONDITION OP THE SHIP Reporting to the Gisborne Harbour Board to-day on the condition of the dredge Koruu. now lying at moorings in the Waikanae basin, Captain A. Carson, harbourmaster, mentioned that extensive though superficial damage had been done to the ship by persons gaining access to the Waikanae! island, probably during the. week-end. The harbourmaster's report was as under : "Carrying out your instructions regarding the dredge Korua., 1 4intl that, it would be very beneficial to the hull should the boarii deem it advisable to spend the money, in painting IBiu. above and below the waterline. In fact it would 1 bo better for the dredge to paint the whole hull with two coats of paint. The deck iat the present time, is more or less covered with wet sand, which conies from the .rotting of the bags used for heeling the vessel when last painting below the waterline. This sand is doing no good to the steel decks and' it would be advisable to havei it cleaned up. "Damage to the ship's fittings. —Some irresponsible person or persons, with the bump of destruction strongly developed, have caused considerable damage to the fittings of the dredge. The hatchway wherein the hoisting engine is placed has had the hatches and covers removed, these apparently having been dumped overboard, thus leaving the. engine open to the weather. The bogey hatches attached to (he- forecastle and cabins have had the top slide on the starboard side and the panels' and tops of the port side deliberately smashed, and the covers have disappeared. 'The hatchway abaft the forecastle on the starboard side - has the cover and two hatches-gone, leaving it open to the weather. , All the glass covering the deck electric lights has been smashed. This is only a superficial survey and no doubt many other things would he found missing on a, thorough examination. "Beyond this these persons have been aboard the new dredge, gaining access below decks through the niter ventilator. Captain Franks, owner of the . Gosford,' also reports that his vessel has suffered similar damage. My idea is that this damage is done principally on Saturdays and Sundays, and the only way to catch the culprits is to place a watch aboard.'' The question of placing a match on the Korua was deferred for discussion in j committee. t REPAINTING OF HULL The managing-secretary, Mr. H. A. j Barton, reported to the board that the ! 'Government inspector of machinery had recommended attention to the angles on the Korua's decking, in order to-prevent undue deterioration in the plating. Mr. 0. Smith said that, the best thing to lie done with Korua would be to seek a price lor her engines. The chairman, Mr. J. Tombleson, stated that he would like to see the vessel repainted between wind and water. The view that the board need not spend money on repainting the hull was expressed by Mr. A. .1. Nicol, who held' that a- good deal of money could be s-pent on the Korua, in pure maintenance. Mr. .1. K. Benson asked whether the board had had an offer for the dredge, the reply being in the negative. Mr. Benson stated that he favoured Mr. Smith's views.

.Speaking again, -Mr. Smith remarked that 1 lie dredge seemed to huve ;i "hoodoo" on il. lie thought thai In spent! money now on maintenance would lie courting loss. Mr. (!. 11. Williams was of the opinion that the board had reached the point where il must he prepared io offer the dredge bo the highest bidder. The hoard had asked in the past more than it was prepared !o lake, and thai policy had perhaps cost the board Ihe ehance of a sale.

The chairman, Mr, J. Tomblcsori, stated that, the principal objection to the dredge on the part of possible buyers was that to operate it economically it was necessary to use barges, and most harbours were too restricted to furnish space for berthing and working the barges. Ho moved that the board take

(ho immediate step of having the hull repainted, between wind and water. Mr. M. Doyle supported this motion, but an amendment proposed by Mr. Smith, to the effect, that, the whole question, be deferred to next meeting, found general support. Air. Smith intimated that ho would be prepared to bring down a motion at the June meeting, relative to final disposal of the Korua,