Radio Hauraki History 4

Radio Hauraki - History (4)

Most of the Radio Hauraki team took part time jobs to earn some money while they waited, but throughout October 1966 the signs from NZBC became less and less encouraging. After a further staff meeting on 15th October 1966 it was decided they would wait no longer and secret plans were prepared to sail the Tiri at midnight on 22nd October 1966.

Preparations to sail the Tiri did not go unnoticed and on 22nd October 1966 the Auckland Star carried a story predicting that the 'pirates' would set sail at 11.30pm that night. Shortly after this news had been published police arrived in strength at the Tiri's berth and warned David Gapes and Derek Lowe of the consequences for them if they violated the ship's detention order. At about the same time too, the police launch Deodar took up position outside the entrance to the Lighter Basin.

On 23rd October 1966 work on the Tiri was completed and plans continued for the ship to set sail. Jack Scott made one last attempt to persuade the Radio Hauraki team to postpone sailing, but to no avail and by 8.00pm that evening the decision had been made to slip the Tiri from her berth and head for the open sea.

The crew had decided that an unexpected, sudden departure would be required if they were to evade the threat of forcible detention from the police present at the Western Viaduct Basin. Eventually one by one the mooring ropes were released and the Tiri slowly left the quayside, but one police officer managed to leap on board before the vessel got into the centre of the Lighter Basin. Unfortunately for the Radio Hauraki team when the Tiri did reach the centre of the Basin there was insufficient water there and the ship became embedded in the mud. At the same time the authorities had started to lower the road bridge across the entrance to the Basin, which would effectively block the Tiri's exit to the open sea.

With help from the large crowd on the quayside the stranded radio ship was pulled from the mud and into a sufficient depth of water to enable her to sail once again under her own power. Just as the Tiri passed beneath the partially lowered road bridge the ship's mast became entangled on the tip of the structure. Two of the Hauraki team, assisted again by the crowd, forced the tip of the mast past the edge of the road bridge, but part of the Tiri's superstructure hit the bridge and the impact swung the ship sideways, completely blocking the Basin entrance.

This gave police the opportunity they needed - three officers climbed from the quayside onto the Tiri while the police launch Deodar came alongside and more policemen were then able to scramble aboard.

The police on board the Tiri forced their way to the engine room, disconnected the fuel line and eventually stopping the main engine. With the radio ship immobilised the police launch drew alongside once again and took the eleven Radio Hauraki men off to face charges of obstructing Marine Department inspectors and defying the detention order which had been placed on the Tiri five weeks earlier.

A special court hearing was convened on 24th October 1966 when, despite police arguments that they should be kept in custody in case they tried once again to take the Tiri out to sea, all defendants were granted bail. However, with the abandoned radio ship now under armed guard at the Devonport Naval Base any action of this sort by Radio Hauraki seemed an improbability.

Following a surge in public support after this incident the Radio Hauraki team hurriedly arranged a public meeting on 26th October 1966 in Auckland Town Hall to protest at the Government's handling of the whole issue of private broadcasting.

On the night crowds of supporters filled the 2,200 seats in the Town Hall, while hundreds more were locked outside the building. The audience, which seemed to represent a large cross section of the population, not just young people, heard Derek Lowe and David Gapes pledge that they would put Radio Hauraki on the air somehow, either from land or sea.

The Radio Hauraki team appeared at Auckland Magistrates Court on 2nd November 1966 to face the various charges against them. The magistrate gave his verdict on 7th November 1966 and concluded that Minister Jack Scott had misused his powers relating to marine surveys in order to prevent the Tiri being taken to sea and the charges against the Radio Hauraki team were all dismissed.

With the court case behind them jubilant Radio Hauraki directors now set about planning to secretly and quietly sail the Tiri to the open sea. Departure date was set for 10th November 1966 at 10.00pm, when the tide would be in their favour, and the Wharf virtually deserted.