MISHAP TO THE WAIROA.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13262, 13 November 1911, Page 2

MISHAP TO THE WAIROA.

BURSTING OF A BOILER TUBE.

The unusual sight of twelve distiw* rockets sparing sk.ywam.iii the middle of tlie Hay at about 7 o'clock last pveuinp:.caused considerable speculation and some awr-ehension at tlio Port. Captain Collins, tlio harbourmaster, who was amongst the first to notice the distress -signals, at orfy mit-otit in a iiifitriv lntnioli in the ni motion of tho craft in danger. Out side tlio cut. the Hina was picked ur Co.ptoin Collins .bointr taken abopv.l and the two rmsoiifsers landed I) •vKviiiK ot t!ip launch.

rn,o T-Tnin tl.on put nbont nt 7.30 iin- 1 headed for what was surmised to Ik the Wairoa. During her absence many theories were put forward as to tinmason for the rockets, prominent among them being the suspicion, thfit the vessel liiUl fouled the derelict Matakana or had broken her. propeller by striking a log floated from the shore in the high tide. The light* of the Hina were sighted at aboiu 11.30, with a second boat in toy.;, about eight miles. Jroih port. .Biitii boats were made fast by 1 a.m., an;, then the position was explained. It appears that at 6.30 the Wairoa, cii route for the Golden Bay ports with 27 passengers on board, passed th;1 Hina bound for Nelson* Forty minutes later the engineer of tho Wairoa found that his furnace was beinii flooded through the bursting of a boiler tube, which Ist all the water out of the boiler. The fracture was in such a position that it was impossible t" effect repairs, so tho vessel il,o:vt<'.! without steering way while signals, were sent up. ... .

Tiio weather had every appearam o of becoming dirty, so endeavours wort made to attract the Hina's attention without result. For oveil two hourthe vessel drifted., and some of th: lady pnsr.pngors iiccame rather apprehensive lit xhv prospect of a roujrV: night ii) the R'iy -without steering w;i.\ . At about 9.J.5 tha lights of the Hin.". appeared, and a tow. ropo was passed without mndi difficulty, and the passengers were, finally l:i!ul?d at Nelson without much inconveniences says-tln't of a delayed arrival at their destinations across the Bay.