RANGATIRA HOLED.
STRIKES SUBMERGED OBJECT NEAR WELLINGTON. VESSEL MAKES HARBOUR STERN FIRST. INDICATIONS OF EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. WELLINGTON, February 2. In a blinding southerly gale this morning the Rangatira struck a submerged object off Wellington Heads and was badly holed. The six hundred passengers were immediately ordered to don lifebelts and assemble on deck, which they did without panic. It was not necessary to launch the boats. The ship struck at 6.10 a.m. Fifteen minutes later she backed off, and, badly down by the bow, entered harbour stern first under her own steam. Passengers desiring breakfast had it below. After a three-hour journey from the Heads, with three tugs standing l >y, the Rangatira berthed at the Clyde Quay Wharf. Her forepart stirred up the mud alongside the wharf. She appeared to. be aground forward. The foredeek at the bows was a little above the wharf and the cruiser stern was out of the water, so that the flukes of the propellers splashed above the surface. Aboard there was plain evidence of the damage. The forward part, including the foreholds, was flooded, but the bulkheads kept the passengers’ quarters fairly clear of water. Beyond saying that at six o’clock, when the ship struck, the weather had been very thick and squalls rendered visibility low, Captain D. W. Cameron declined to make any statement. The General-Manager of the Union Company, Mr. J. W. Mathewson, made the following statement later: "About 6 a.m. the Rangatira, on her way from Lyttelton to Wellington, struck some submerged object off Wellington Heads. As a precaution, the passengers were ordered to put on lifebelts. It was afterwards found that this was unnecessary and they were sent down for breakfast. The vessel appears to be extensively damaged, but until she is docked for examination no indication can be given of the exact condition. The Maori takes over the running on Monday night.”
The pumps were going all to-day, but in the evening the ship had not raised herself appreciably. To-morrow morning a diver will inspect the bows.— (P.AJ
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAG19360203.2.47
Bibliographic details
Wairarapa Age, 3 February 1936, Page 5
Word Count
340RANGATIRA HOLED. Wairarapa Age, 3 February 1936, Page 5
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