She was steaming quite well when she took a sheer in towards the stone wall side of the channel, and in order to avoid running into the wall the helm was put hard over, and she then took a sheer to the other side of the channel and ran on to the mud bank, where she remained fast. The steamer is lying partly across the channel, which at that point is approximately 200 feet wide. The Matoppo is 400ft in length, and completely blocked the fairway so far as navigation was concerned. The tug Dunedin made an attempt to get the Matoppo off, but failed, and the dredge was despatched from Dunedin wharf to render assistance. On the dredge reaching the steamer a five-inch steel hawser was run from the steamer to the dredge, which had dropped her ladder, and passed round the winch of the dredge. The tug fastened on to the steamer, but the combined work of the winch of the dredge and the tow rope of the tug failed to shift the steamer. The ebb tide had set in shortly before the vessel took the ground about 5pm. When she ran on, her bow was well up on the mud bank, and her stern in deep water. The attempt to move the steamer by both the tug and dredge had to be abandoned for the time being, but another effort, which it is confidently anticipated will be successful, will be made at the top of the tide about 5 o'clock this morning. Both the tug Dunedin and dredge ‘222’ will engage in the second attempt to float the Matoppo off the bank. The steamer belongs to the Ellerman and Bucknall Line.
Relief from campaigns in sight
Glad will many of us be when tomorrow the great, the important day, big with the fate of Massey and New Zealand, has taken its place among the days that are no more. Think of the boon of surcease of election oratory, election correspondence, election advertisements, election everything. On the stew of political and liquor controversy we have breakfasted, lunched, dined. and supped to repletion for more than a month.
William Massey touts for votes
Mr Massey addressed a crowded audience in Levin last night. The Prime Minister, who is making a good recovery from a severe cold contracted during the South Island tour, spoke on lines of recent speeches, tracing the progress of the slump and stating that at one time he thought the dominion would have to make default in the payment of interest and sinking fund, but that possibility had passed. That day he had received the Treasury returns for eight months of the financial year ending November. Compared with the corresponding eight months of last year the net increase in revenue was £571,300, and the net decrease in expenditure ,£2,561,136. That was proof that the dominion was going to pay its way, and proof that the Government's economies were not merely on paper. Mr Massey concluded with a warning against the danger of the three-party position, when one party could only hold office at the will of another, and on condition that it did its bidding. The Prime Minister had an enthusiastic reception.
— ODT, 6.12.1922 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)
