H.—lsa.

48

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

Date of Survey. Name cf Vessel. Where surveyed. Nature ol Casualty, &c. 1912. [ay 21 1912. *y 21 S.s. Wairau S.s. Wairau Wanganui When steaming between Mokau and Waitara, on the 21st May, 1912, a fracture was detected in the main steampipe. On arrival in port the pipe was taken off and a patch brazed over the crack. After repairs the pipe was tested to 280 lb. hydraulic pressure. On the 6th May, 1912, this vessel left Kawhia under sail, and just after passing the Heads the wind failed and she drifted ashore on a sandy bottom. She remained, fast until the 14th, and was then hove off by the use of the kedge-anchors and the hand-windlass. The vessel fouled her anchor and it penetrated the hull on the starboard bow below the water-line. She was towed back to Kawhia and beached, when the damage caused by the anchor was repaired. This vessel left Wellington for Patea on the 1st June, 1912, and when passing the north end of Kapiti Island it was discovered that she was leaking considerably. It was decided to return to Wellington, and on arrival she was placed on the slip. The oakum had come out of part of the seam of the garboard-strake on the starboard side in the way of foremast. The defective seam was recanlked, and all the soft places in the hull were hardened up. On the 8th June, 1912, through the anchor fouling a pile whilst lying at the Lyttelton Wharf, the hawse-pipe was broken, and two plates in the bow were damaged. A new hawse-pipe was made and fitted, the two plates were renewed, and two of the frames were straightened. On the 15th June, 1912, a collision occurred off Point Jerningham, Wellington Harbour, between the s.s. " Opouri," inward bound from Lyttelton, and the s.s. " Kamona," leaving for Westport. There were severe rain-squalls at the time of the mishap. The damage to the vessel consisted of a dent in the top edge of the plating on the port bow ; the waterway was crushed in and a small crack was made in the plating just below the moulding ; the forecastle-head deck-planking was started from the stem to the windlass, and the plate under the deck was buckled at hawse-pipes. Temporary repairs were effected in Wellington. Permanent repairs were made on the vessel's arrival in Lyttelton. One plate on the bow was cut out and renewed, the waterway was cut out and renewed, and the deck and covering-board were renewed where [ay 28, 29 .. iy 28, 29 .. Ngaru (scow) Ngaru (scow) Kawhia Fune 3 S.s. Hawera Wellington S.s. Canopus Lyttelton June 8, 14 .. June 17 S.s. Opouri Wellington June 27; July 1,5 July 5 Fuly 18, 20.. S.s. Koonya S.s. Kumara S.s. The Peregrine S.s. Mararoa Napier Wellington Auckland Lyttelton necessary. When this vessel was at Napier on the 27th June, 1912, the rudder-stock was found to be fractured. The rudder was unshipped and a new piece welded into it, about 4 ft. long and a little larger than the original size. Two straps were also riveted round the stock and rudder to strengthen them. When lying at anchor in the Gisborne roadstead on the 2nd July, 1912, a crack was detected in the neck of the flange of one length of her main steam-pipe. The pipe was forwarded to Wellington for repairs, where a new piece about 9 in. long was fitted. The pipe was afterwards tested to 360 lb. hydraulic pressure. On the 14th July, 1912, on her ordinary trip from Auckland to Stanley Bay, she went ashore on a rocky bottom near Stanley Point. She soon floated off, but on examination it was found that about 10 ft. of the deadwood and keel had been damaged, and that all the blades had been stripped off the propeller. The damaged portions of the keel and the deadwood were renewed, and a new bow rudder and four new propeller-blades were fitted. On the 29th July, 1912, this vessel was lying at Lyttelton Wharf, when a fracture was discovered in the thrust-shaft. A new shaft was made and fitted in position. This vessel was bound from Whakatane to Whitianga on the 20th June, 1912. She was trying to beat to an anchorage under Whale Island during a.northerly gale when the mainsail carried away and the foresail split in three places. On account of this damage the vessel drifted on the beach six miles west of Whakatane River. She was got off on the 23rd June, and proceeded to Tauranga for repairs. New deadwood was fitted aft and a new stern-post provided. The rudder was repaired, some new sheathing was put on hull, and the vessel was caulked where required. This ferry-steamer left the Victoria Wharf during a fog at 8 o'clock on the morning of the 22nd July, 1912, and was going half-speed when she collided with the ferry-boat " Kestrel." The following repairs were found to be necessary : About 12 ft. of the belting, a number of the stanchions, and several deck-planks were renewed, and the bulwarks were repaired. July 29 July 29 Ranger (scow) . . Auckland J uly 26; Aug. 3 S.s. Condor Auckland