DISABLED KINI.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 212, 12 October 1914, Page 11

DISABLED KINI.

A LONG PULL. Press Association. DANNEVIRKE, October 11. Particulars received from Porangahau show that the boat which left the disabled steamer Kini, containing the second mate (Mr Dalgleish), three seamen, and two firemen, had a very hard and exciting time before reaching the land at Blackhead. The boat left the Kin,i at 1 p.m. on .Thursday, and the crew had to pull all the way to'the land, being in the boat 45 hours. They arrived off Blackhead at 8 on Friday night, and sheltered there'all night. On.account of the" westerly; gale the occupants of the boat, were afraid of being blown out to sea, and they had a trying time in keeping. close to the beach. About 11 p.m. the crew got into, a dangerous position amongst the rocks through being unaware, of their whereabouts, and they only got clear by strenuous -exertion in the nick of time. They did not know until the morning exactly where they were. '' When morning came,'' said Mr Dalgleish, "I had to beach the boat on account of the westerly wind again coming up, and we were afraid of being blown to sea. I could do nothing more, as every man was knocked up. None of us was worth twopence when we got ashore; On top of the hard work of rowing none "of us had any ■ sleep from the time we left the Kini. We were just on our last legs." Up to the time of telegraphing, nothing has been seen or heard of the Kini at Porangahau. The men who landed slept for 18 hours on end, and are now quite recovered • from their long pull and trying experiences. They are at present enjoying the hospitality of Mr G. Hunter, and speak in the highest terms of praise of the treatment they have received. '; 'VESSEL STILL ADRIFT. WELLINGTON, October 11. The .Union Company's tug Terawhiti left port at 11.15 o'clock last night, and the steamer Kittawa at 6 this morning, to search for the disabled Kini. The weather, which had been very stormy, moderated after midnight. In the gale which has raged the Kini would have drifted three to five knots hourly, and unless a southerly counteracted the westerly wind she is probably in the neighbourhood of the Chatham Islands. So far as is ascertainable here, the Kini's officers are:— Captain Stewart; chief officer, Mr J. Lowry; second officer, Mr Dalgleish; third officer, Mr C. R. Johnson; chief engineer, Mr W. J. Cannon; second engineer, Mr L. L. Dawson; third engineer, Mr J. D. Townsend. Mr Dalgleish and Mr Townsend landed with five men in the lifeboat. There are nine still on board.