STEAMER BEACHED.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1924, Page 6

STEAMER BEACHED.

MISHAP TO THE RAMA. THE HOLDS FULL OF WATER. THE CREW LANDED SAFELY. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. ’ Captain ,E. Cartener, of the ill-fated steamer Raina, which struck when going out of Kaingaroa Harbour (Chatham Islands), has sent a radio that the water steadily gained after midnight on Tuesday, and he beached the vessel at 4 a.m. on Wednesday. The stokehold and engine room were both full, and both holds were full of water. The crew were landed. A northerly gale is still blowing. The Rama was formerly lI.M. gunboat Torch, a unit of New Zealand's Navy, and when her days as a ship of war were deemed to be at an end she w , as acquired by the Chatham Islands Fishing Company. She was fitted with refrigerating machinery, and has made many trips to the Chatham Islands for fish, etc. Of date she had made three trips to Niue Island from Auckland, and was scheduled to sail from Auckland on November 24 for N-iue Island again, taking supplies to tide the inhabitants over the hurricane season and to bring badk island produce. The Rama was built in 1’895 at His Majesty's dockyards, Sheerness. She Jias a length of 18.3 ft. sin., a breadth of 31ft. 6in., and a depth of 14ft. Sin. She has a gross tonnage of 610 tons, and is equipped with triple expansion engines with a nominal horse-power of 93.