LOST IN A STORM

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 208, 16 June 1936, Page 3

LOST IN A STORM

FATE OF AUXILIARY SCOW. MAY HAVE S'TRUCK A FLOATING LOG. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 15. An inquiry into the sinking of' the 3-s—ton auxiliary scow Kaiaia, near Mer-cur-.y Bay on March 25, was opened this morning before Mr Wyvern Wilson, 8.31., with whom were associated as assessors Captain D. Bell, Captain E. W. Norton, and Mr E. R. Lane. The Crown was represented by Mr V. N. Hubble, who said that the Minister for Marine desired} to know the cause of the founclering. Captain H. S. Aspden, master of the scow, gave evidence that the vessel was owned by the Aspden Shipping Company. She left Auckland at 11.45 a.m. on March 24. with about 20 tons of general cargo and 85 drums of henzine, of which 30 were on deck. C’ape (Jolville was rounded at 6 p.m. The wind was fair. The vessel was underf sail with the engines running, He went. below at midnight. He was called at} 2.30 by the engineer, as the wind was] blowing hard from the south-east and" there was a rising sea. At 4.30 the] vessel was leaking. The two deck pumps were manned and the vessel‘ was making for Mercury Bay. ‘

Ship Abandoned. An hour later the ship was sinking, and was unmanageable. He gave orders to abandon ship. With the engineer and one of the crew, he lowered the lifeboat, the other two members of the crew having been washed overboard. They were picked up by the boat. The scow, soon after, sank by the head in 35 fathoms of water, about a. mile and a half south of Castle Rock. The witness said that he was a shareholder in the company, and knew that the vessel was not insured. By an oversight on his part, the deck cargo had not been inspected, but he had no trouble with it. Replying to Mr Gould, who represented the owners, witness said he knew that, after a severe storm in February, a lot of logs were floating in the Bay of Plenty. He thought that the vessel had struck a. log without the shock being noticed, owing to the pounding seas. The ship ‘was well found and fully manned. The estimated loss to the company was £ISOO. Soundness of Hull. Evidence about the mishap was given by Douglas Bowie Stubbing, eng'neer of the Kaiaia. He said the engine pump would normally cope with 1000 gallons of water-Jan hour, and the two hand pumps together, about 1500. The scow was fitted with two engines. This machinery was all in working order. The other three members of the crew substantiated the evidence given by the master and engineer. Various Shipwrights and surveyors who worked on and examined the Kaiaia in December, testified to the soundness of her hull, and to her full equipment of live-saving appliances. Questioning, Leonard Robertson master mariner and marine surveyor, Mr \Valsh asked whether he considered the Kaiaia was suitable for a, total engine—power of 54 horse—power, and for cruising on all coasts of the Dominion, which her classification as a. hometrade vessel enabled her to do. The engines were quite suitable, said witness. ‘

The matter of the vessel’s classifica—tion was ruled as beyond the scope of the inquiry. . “Classification as a ‘Jiome - trade vessel of this type of craft,” said Mr Walsh, in reviewing the evidence, “is no more than the licensing of coffin ships. If nothing, is done to protect men sailing in these scows, there. will be some terrible disasters.”

M - \Vil3on said the finding of the courq would be submitted to the Min—ister for Marine.