TELEGRAMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 573, 22 March 1870, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

Port Chalscebs. — March 22, 10 a m., Airedale from Lyttelton/ Hokitika.— March 22, 1 p.m., John Perm from Westport. GtiBYMOUTH.— March 22, 12.30 a.m., Wallaby for Westport. Wellington.— March- 22, 1.30 p.m., Ahuriri from Picton. Nelson. —March 22,- early, Kennedy from Westport. Wanganui. — March 22, 1.30 p.m., Storm Bird from Nelson. Picton. — March 22, 6.45 a.m., Ahuriri €rotn Nelson ; 8.10 a.tn., Ahuriri for Wellington. •

A hydraulic wool-press, used by some, of the English vessels, was lately purchased here for some parties in Canterbury, and was to have been shipped in tbe schooner Nila, yesterday. That vessel accordingly hauled to the part of the wharf where it was lying, and placed one of the moveable cranes in position to hoist it in. One portion of it was very heavy — something over a ton — and advice was taken by the shipper from parties in charge of the wharf as to whether the crane would lift it. He was told that it would

with esse, and accordingly the piece of ma- i chinery was lifted up. All went well while i the crane remained in the position in which 1 it could afford the greatest resistance to the weight — end on— but when the arm was : swung round, and the strain came on the ; broadside, it toppled over, falling into the i schooner with a tremendous crash. Fortu- i nately it remained long enough on the totter to allow the men who were underneath to < ! escape. A considerable portion of the schooner's deck is smashed in — the beams being broken — and the combings of the hatch j carried away. The piece of machinery fell [ into the hold, luckily on to some ballast, or it would have gone through her bottom. The crane is a complete wreck. — Wellington Evening I'ost, March 18. A preliminary enquiry into the burning of the barque Hera, at Porfc Underwood, was held at the Superintendent's office, Blenheim, on March 15, before Mr Barleyman, of H. M. Customs. Mr H. Dodson was present on behalf of those concerned in flax operations. The following is the chief portion of the Captain's evidence. The other evidence taken is of no importance. We are indebted to the Editor of the Marlborough Express, for an advance slip of that paper containing the evidence : — When arrived at Port Underwood she had on board 99 bales wool, about 2S bales flax, and 40 kegs butter. The wool was stowed as a ground tier in the lower hold ; the flax was lying unstowed between decks in the fore part of the ship; the butter was stowed in the forepeak of the hold. Commenced to receive from the time of arrival to the day of the Are, consisting of wool, flax, wheat and three casks of tallow. The tallow was buried in the ballast ; the flax was stowed in the lower hold, and also between decks between the after hatch and the provision-room. There was one tier of wool under the flax ; the wheat was in the lower hold amidships. At 4.30 a.m., on the llth (Friday), the second mate opened the cabin door, and cried out that the ship was on fire ; got up in bed and felt the smoke ; ran on deck and asked where the fire was ; the watch replied at the after-hatch -, saw a great smoke ; ordered the boats to be lowered, and then set all hands to pump and pour water down the hatches ; when the batch was opened a thick smoke came up, but no flames could be seen ; continued to pour water down for some time ; felt sure from the heat that the fire was increasing ; ordered holes to be cut in the deck ; could see the flames through one of them ; poured water down and closed them as the nre advanced ; cut six holes in all ; at 8 a.m. determined to scuttle the ship ; had burned blue lights for help from the shore until daylight, and then showed signals of distress; the ship was lying in 7 fathoms of water at the time of the accident, about a quarter-mile from the shore; slipped the anchors and chains and let her drift ashore on the beach, still scuttling her; at 11.30 a.m., she was aground at high water in 16£ feet; the pumps were at work all the time, and water pouring in. The fire was then advanced to the main hatch. The flames burst up the after hatch and set fire to the main and mizen rigging; continued throwing water down the fore hatch, but without effect; at 1.30 p.m. the main and mizen masts fell overboard, and the flames reached nearly to thef ore rigging. All hope of saving the ship was then abandoned ; ordered stbe men to cut away and throw overboard everything they could get ; the fire made such rapid progress very little could be saved; she was then on fire from the sternpost to the- fore rigging ;at 2 p.m. left the ship with all hands, as the heat was too great to re main ; at 4 p.m. she heeled over on the ebb I tide ; she continued to burn until 8 a.m. On j Saturday, the 12th, made several attempts j to get on board, but the heat was too great ; left Kragereo in 1867 ; the ship was then { insured for 16,000 specie dollars (about j £3500 English).