DAMAGED COASTAL CARGO

Taranaki Daily News, 29 April 1931, Page 2

DAMAGED COASTAL CARGO

OPIHI UNLOADS AT N.P. RESULT OF FIRE IN SHIP’S HOLD. Discharge of about 20D tons of general cargo consisting mostly of flour, wheat and potatoes, which was damaged in the recent fire a Lyttelton on board the Union Company’s coastal vessel Opihi, was completed at New Plymouth yesterday. As nearly all the "vessel's cargo was damaged in the fire a general average of 10 per cent, was struck at Lyttelton, and it will be necessary to survey the cargo again to ascertain its landed damage and the damage caused by the fire and in the course of attempts to . xtinguish the fire. . The hold of the ship was black, with smoke and the watersiders’ work of unloading the cargo was not pleasant. Of all the cargo the wheat appeared to have suffered least. The bags were stained by fire and smoke, but the -roods themselves had received comparatively little damage. The bags of flour, however, were ruined. The fire and water completely obliterated many. Others had burst and the _flo- had covered everything with which jt had come in contact. The hold of the ship was liberally strewn with the "our and would take' a deal cleaning before being again fitted to carry perishable goods. The Opihi itself did not appear to have been damaged by the fire.. The hold had little or no wood-work in its construction. The Opihi, which is under the command of Captain Warren, arrived at New Plymouth yesterday morning and sailed last evening for southern ports.