H.—lsa

No. 19.—Return of Vessels surveyed for Seaworthiness— continued.

63

Date of Survey. Name oi Vessel. Where surveyed. Nature of Casualty, &c. 1911. .. S.s. Poherua Wellington On the 27th May, 1911, this vessel was crossing the Greymouth Bar, on a trip from Wellington, when she touched the ground off the North-Tip Head. Through suddenly taking a sheer the vessel got too close to the Tip Head. She made no water, and it was decided to load her and return to Wellington. She was placed on the slip at Wellington for survey. The hull forward was found to be set up in several places, and a number of rivets loosened. One new plate was fitted in the garboard strake on the starboard side, and about forty defective rivets were renewed. About three hundred rivets were cut out df dented plates on the port side in the fore peak and No. 1 tank and reriveted, and one new butt-strap fitted. Two dented parts of margin plate were cut out in No. 1 tank on port side and two new pieces of plate and angle irons fitted. Three new gusset - plates were fitted between margin plate and frames on port side, and about 6 ft. of one frame was renewed. On the 17th May, 1911, as this vessel was entering Tauranga Harbour, on a voyage from Auckland, she took the ground. The vessel remained fast until the 20th May, when she came off after being lightened. A survey of the vessel was made, but no damage of any sort was found. This vessel was on a voyage from Wellington to London, via the Bluff. At 7 a.m. on the 17th February, 1911, two hours and a half after high water, the Captain was taking the vessel into the Bluff Harbour without a pilot when, owing to the ebb tide, the vessel sheered over on to the midchannel rock and grounded. She remained aground until 12.23 p.m. of the same day, when she came off as the tide rose and with the assistance of her own engines. The vessel proceeded to Port Chalmers for docking and examination, when it was found that the hull had been considerably damaged. The following repairs were found necessary : Nine plates on the port side and one keelplate were renewed. Fifteen plates on the port side, seven on the starboard side, and four keel-plates were taken out, straightened, and replaced in position. Eight plates on the starboard side were straightened in position. Four plates were taken out of the stern of the vessel for the purpose of fitting in a new portion of the stern-frame, and then replaced in position. One plate in the centre girder was renewed, and portions of two margin plates were renewed, one in No. 3 and one in No. 6 tanks. Four floor-plates were renewed, three were removed, straightened, and replaced in position, and five were straightened in position on the starboard side. Two floor-plates and two half plates were renewed, and nine were straightened in position. One intercostal plate was renewed, and a number were straightened in position. One margin bracket was renewed, and a number were straightened in position on the port side. No. 3 tank-top was repaired and reriveted where necessary. The lower portions of the forward and after bulkheads in the forward deep tank were cut out and renewed. The lower section of the stern-frame from scarf on rudder-post to scarf on stern-post was renewed. The following repairs to the rudder were carried out: A new main piece and one new pintle were fitted, and 10 ft. of rudder-head was renewed. The propeller-blades were taken off, straightened, and pieces burnt on where necessary ; the propeller-shaft was drawn, the stern-tube nut was removed and the stern-tube examined. Four cast-iron ballast suction-pipes were also renewed. On the 30th May, 1911, on a voyage from Auckland to Levuka, this vessel struck a reef in Navula Passage and grounded. After lightening the vessel, and with the assistance of her own engines, she was refloated on the 2nd June. On her return to Auckland she was placed in Calliope Dock for examination ; it was then found that the plates in the fore part of the hull were corrugated to some extent. The seams and rivets, however, were very little damaged. Some of the seams were recaulked, and four rivets were renewed. On the 15th June, 1911, this vessel was proceeding from Westport to Foxton, and when crossing the Manawatu Bar during a heavy sea went ashore. The vessel was refloated on the 17th June, when she sailed for Wellington in company with the s.s. " Queen of the South," and on arrival there she was placed on the Slip. The following repairs were effected : A sheathing-plate, 5 ft. by 2 ft. 6 in., was fitted on the port side of the hull-plating under the engine-room, and about twenty rivets were renewed; the rudder was unshipped, the shank straightened, and a new boss welded on the rudder quadrant; both outer bushes for propeller-shafts were relined, and a new set of propellerblades were fitted to starboard propeller. rune 12 . . S.s. Clan Ross . . Auckland ?eb. 21, 22; April 13, 27 ; May 11, 19, 24, 29, and 31 ; June 1, 6, 9, and 13 S.s. Knight of the Garter Port Chalmers .. Auckland June 19 S.s. Tofua rune 20, 24, 26 S.s. Gertie Foxton and Wellington