WANGANELLA STILL ON THE ROCKS

Wanganui Chronicle, 22 January 1947, Page 6

WANGANELLA STILL ON THE ROCKS

The Wanganui Tug Joins Other Two (Press Association) WELLINGTON, Jan. 21 The Huddart Parker trans-Tasman liner Wanganella, which ran on to Barrett’s Reef, at the entrance to Wellington Harbour, late on Sunday night, is still aground there.

The Wanganui Harbour Board’s tug Kahanui joined the other two Wellington tugs (Terawhiti and Toia) A rising swell, and the need for more equipment, caused postponement this afternoon of the proposed big attempt to refloat the vessel.

Another attempt will be made at high tide to-morrow morning. While the vessel itself has not shifted, no time has been wasted in salvaging the passengers ’ baggage and the mails on the Wanganella. These have now been got safely ashore.

The vital question asked by those connected with the salvage is: “Will the No. 2 bulkhead hold?” The next, and almost epialiy important need is a continuance of fine weather. A heavy southerly would almost certainly spell disaster. A remote contingency is that the vessel might, with a suitable sea, loosen herself and slide off without much help from tugs. This, however, depends entirely on a report of divers who, with acetylene torches, are burning away plates and steel that grip the rocks. It is known, however, that there is a considerable swirl of water inside the two now practically flooded forward holds, and that the work for the divers there is difficult. A reporter who made a close inspection of the Wanganella when a big effort to dislodge her was thought imminent, found that she had settled somewhat further by the bow, indicating that the bottom had suffered additional damage. A slight list, moreover, had been increased to one of about 5 degrees to starboard. There is no longitudinal movement, but rocking is developing. At high tide the stern was higher than the bow. f ADDITIONAL PREPARATIONS Additional preparations by which it is hoped to shift the Wanganella tomorrow include the planting to-mor-row morning of two additional mushroom anchors to accompany those put down and connected by cable with trie vessel’s machinery to-day. Three powerful pumps, which could not be unloaded owing to the swell to-day, were taken to the scene of operations again to-night. It is considered that the three tugs available (Kahanui, Terawhiti and Toia) are all that could be profitably employed on this salvage operation. With the three tugs hauling on cables and the Wanganella hauling on the four mushroom anchors, so placed as to lift her nose while hauling backward, the obstructing plates removed, plus a high tide and fair swell from the south, hopes are entertained that the W T anganella may still be saved. Mr. D. E. Eadie, superintending engineer for the Huddart Parker Company, arrived from Australia, via Auckland, to-night. Mr. Eadie will take full charge of the salvage operations. SWELL AT HEADS. The tug Natone took out pumping equipment to the Wanganella this morning in preparation for an effort to salvage the liner at high tide today. The tug was also intended to take off bags of mail, which the liner carried for New Zealand, but the heavy swell at th e Heads prevented the tug getting alongside the Wanganella, and eventually the Natone had to return to the wharf with her equipment still on her deck.

The manager of the Huddart Parker Company in Wellington (Mr. N. D. McLean) said today that he had no statement to make in connection with the mishap. Although arrangements had not yet been completed, it i s expected those members of the Wanganella's crew not required in New Zealand will return to Sydney in the Dominion Monarch.

Uncertainty still exists about the magnitude of Idle damage to the Wanganella. While there has been no authoritative announcement, it is thought that the stem has been ripped for a considerable length. Some reports suggest that this damage extends for six yards, which is thought to be the length of reef surmounted by the liner. FLOODED HOLDS.

It is likely that efforts will be made to plug the rips in for the concerted attempt by the tugs to shift the Wanganella. Pumping gear was taken to the liner last night to remove the water from the forward holds, which are described as considerably flooded. Anchors were also taken, to be fixed astern of the Wanganella so that her own power can b e used to take strain upon tne anchors, simultaneously with the pull of the tugs. PHOTOGRAPHERS’ FAST WORK. Australian news and film agencies took a prompt interest in the disaster, and by yesterday afternoon still and moving pictures were on their way to the Commonwealth. The Government itself ha s been as aliv e to the news interest as any private film agency. At 1 a.tn. yesterday Mr. E. S. Andrews, producer of the National Film Unit studios, Miramar, telephoned one of his senior cameramen, Mr S. Wemyss, to film the event.

Mr. Wemyss was not able to hire a motor launch to go out to Barrett’s Reel, but he persuaded an Island Bay fisherman to make the journey. As coon as the light was sufficient, the news reel was made, and hurried to the studios, where the technicians and laboratory staff were waiting. As a consequence, the picture of the Wanganella nnsliap is ready for screening at Wellington city theatres this evening. Copies of it are en route to Australia by air. The staff had to work all last night to achieve this result. ACCOMMODATION PROBLEM Most or the crew stayed on board the liner last night to assist in the salvage attempts. While their situation was not a happy one, for tthey have been much concerned by the fate of their ship, they were in one way better off than many of the passengers. After their sleepless night when the liner ran aground,' the passengers landed at Wellington to find yet another problem, that of accommodation. In addition, they had with them only the bare necessities. Some were literally marooned. They found Wellington’s hotels booked out, because of abnormal demands for accommodation, demands which certainly gave no heed to the possibility of a shipwreck. Th e New Zealand Federation of Labour encountered the same problem last week, when it was obliged to arrange room for the 150 delegates who are meeting in Wellington to-day, because th e hotels even then were fully engaged by visitors to the Trentham races and thoroughbred sales. One important passenger by ths Wanganella found, upon being landed at Queen’s Wharf, that there was no accommodation for himself or his wife at any Wellington hotel. The best that Lite tourist authorities had been able to arrange for him was a room in a hotel aC Palmerston North, and he did not contemplate a separa tion of some 90 ntiles from hi: luggage with any equanimity. He had never heard of Palmerston North until he received 'the disturbing intelligence. FLOOD OF RUMOURS. There is no doubt that the curiosit} of the public wa s aroused by the flood of rumours which gained currency in

Wellington yesterday afternoon. Many of them were fantasi ic in the extreme. There were confident stories that the Wanganella had floated off and reached port safely. On the other 'hand, there were equally positive statements that the liner had been abandoned as a complete loss. Other rumour-mongers vividly described how the Wanganella had broken in two, just below the bridge. Another story was to the effect that the liner had got free from Barrett's Reef, but had foundered in the middle of the harbour entrance thus completely blocking the Port of Wellington to all but the smallest sea traffic. The crew were supposed to have taken to the boats, and to have landed variously at Pencarrow Head, Breaker Bay, Lyall Bay, Karaka Bay and Eastbourne.

It is a sorry commentary on modern credulity that these conflicting stories were widely accepted, as telephone operators at radio stations, shipping and harbour offices, and newspapers will testify. They were harassed by numberless calls asking about this story or that. "I am thoroughly exhausted by answering these incessant and foolish calls,” on e telephone operator complained yesterday afternoon. "There is no limit to what people will believe. They never seem to think of trying to trace false information back to the authors.”