Stewart Island LAUNCH ASHORE

Southland Times, Issue 23024, 19 October 1936, Page 4

Stewart Island LAUNCH ASHORE

During a heavy wind recently the launch Tainui broke her mooringchain and was driven ashore on what is known as Thomson’s Nugget, in Half Moon Bay. This is a very small island close inshore near Greenvale House, and it is fortunate that the vessel struck there instead of on the main shore where she would have probably become a total wreck. Efforts at refloating were unsuccessful owing to a pinnacle of rock projecting through the hull, which held her fast. A number of empty airtight oil drums were fastened to the hull in the hopes that these would lift the vessel clear of the rocks at high tide. Eleven drums were placed outside and three inside but when an attempt was made at high water in.the afternoon these proved of no avail owing to the tides having taken off since she went ashore. It was then decided to jack the vessel up to clear the pinnacle of rock and try again at high water. The Tainui is owned by Messrs C. Hansen and A. Metzger, of Bluff, and was in charge of Mr H. Hansen, of Half Moon Bay. She was built in Invercargill by Messrs Raske Bros, and was christened the Pride of the Ocean. Later her name was changed to Sneaker and she was known by this name until 1928 when she met with a mishap. At the time she was engaged in fishing from Stewart Island and during a trip down the coast in April 1928 some petrol leaked into her bilges and this led to a violent explosion which blew off a portion of the deck, and started a* fire which did considerable damage. It was after this accident that her name was changed to Tainui. FLAG 500. The school committee of the St. Andrew’s Church of England held a very successful Flag 500 evening recently. There was a large attendance and play was very keen. The winning table comprised Mrs Moore-Carter, Mrs E. Hicks and Mr J. Fife.