ON THE ROCKS

Waikato Times, Volume 87, Issue 13273, 31 August 1916, Page 5

ON THE ROCKS

TONGARIRO ABANDONED. NO DETAILS TO HAND. By Telegraph.—Prww> AsmeiatirHi. WELLINGTON, Thursday. A message telephoned from Gisborne .reports that the New Zealand Shipping \ * Company's steamer has been abandoned, and the Westralia is taking the crew to Napier. The Koutunui is standing by. Nos. 1, 2, and 3 holds and the engine-room are flooded. The steamer is fast on the rocks forward with 25 fathoms of water aft. The Koutunui has the captain, officers, and six men on board. The Tongariro is a vessel of 10,192 tons, owned by the New Zealand Shipping Co. She arrived at Auckland from London Inst Saturday under the command of Captain .Makepeace, and after discharging 2~>oo tons of general cargo sailed for Wellington at 1.20 p.m. on Tuesday. ALL THE CREW SAFE. STEADIER STltl'CK HELL HOCK. FOUR MILES OFF SHORE. TWO HOLDS FULL OF WATER. WELLINGTON. Thursday. Advice from Napier last night reports that tlit' New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Tongariro struck the Hell ruck near Portland Island. She summoned assistance, and her first call for help was picked up by the Westralia, lying in Gislxirne roadstead, shortly liefore 8 o'clock. Messages continued till 8.10 when one I came through, "Power failing." Five ; minutes later another stated, "Not off yet." After that the messages ceased. The Westralia at once hurried south signalling the steamer Calm which was leaving lor Napier to keep close to the shore, and render any assistance possible. The Almrira also left Napier for the scene of the wreck. .Messages from Wairoa indicate that the vessel is about four miles off the shore in a precarious position. A wireless mesage received early this morning states that No. 2 and 3 holds and the stokehold are full of water. All the crew were saved. The Tongariro was on her way from Auckland to Wellington, the former being her first port of call on this voyage.

TOTAL LOSS FEARED. G'ISBORNE, Thursday. It is lea red t hat the Toiigariro may slip off the rock and heeomo a total loss. The Koutunui must have been in the locality at the lime of the mishap. The weather is tine and the sea calm. The Koutunui when seen bv the Aialiura had two empty lifeboats in tow. CREW REACH NAPIER. 77b ' TONS nl- 1 ( ARGO ON BOARD. NAP I El!, Thursday. Tli. WeMraha, which rushed to the scene of the wreck from Gishorne, arrived it Napier at 7 a.m. to-day bringing i e Toiijjariro's third ollicer and all 7f> of he crew, including the stew ardess, who * as the only woman on board. The West ilia let i the Toiigariro at 1.30 this i lornme:. TTer deck- were then above water. The crew got away with only what they s;nod up in. No one was drowned. Captain Makepeace and the first offuVi (Mr .1. Ballard) and the second (Mr B. Davisi are -landing by the vessel. WELLINGTON. Thursday. The Tonga tiro had on board 3Slio tons ot cargo I'm Wellington. I'tOi) for I.yttel'on, and l-MHi imis tor Ditnedin. A SEVERE IMPACT. SHIP BROUGHT TO A DEAD STOP. ) SEI!IOU> CASUALTIES. Ll.Ml.ih O | \ BULLION ABOARD. SALVAGE OPERATIONS POSSIBLE. \\ IiLLI Nt.TON . Thursday. 'I lie S.( ).S. ea II was I esponded to I>y the West ia lia at Gishorne and the A rail lira at Napier. Both vessels left inimediatelv ior the -eerie where the West ralia an ived ti Ist. She found all (ho member- ot t lie cl ew on the Kotttoiun (the Richardson Company <o;istel I. 'lie West i a lla took 7* i >ll board lor Napier. The captain with : lie first, and -e. olid ollicer, and first, second and i lin d etiei:i,Ti-s, wll h si\ mem hers ot the ( it w . are standing h\ lor examination b\ iia> liv hi. W hen 111e \\cstralia lett the vessel the I ongai ii ii.is st ill afloat, her bow being supported bv t lie Bell Rock. Water was in .ill holds and ihe engineroom and the vessel had a heavy list to port with 'Jii iathonis oi water under her stern. The seas were breaking over her Imw, and it is expected that the vessel w ill slip off and sink. There was no panic. The port boats only could bo used. One was smashed and five men thrown into the sea. Another eap-u-.ed through the davit breaking, but the occupants were till rescued. The shock on striking was verv so\ore, and brought the vessel to a dead stop with a terrific noise. The scene ot the wreck is U. miles N.N.E. of Portland light. Some of the men received minor injuries, but there were no serious casualties. A member of the crew said that the captain was oil the bridge at teli time. The crew were in the boats for three hours, and returned to the (loomed vessel three times in case any had been left behind. it is slated that cargo which totals SOD) ions included l;lon,()iin in bullion. Salvage operations can be successfully conducted even It the vessel sinks.