THE PORT BOWEN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 20, 3 November 1939, Page 2

THE PORT BOWEN

RETURN OF CERTIFICATE. 9 "* # COLOUR OF LIGHT MISTAKEN. (Per Press Association). > WELLINGTON, November 2. After hearing evidence to-day, the Court of Inquiry appointed to ascertain the cause of the overseas steamer - Port Bowen stranding on Castlecliff Beach, AA’anganui, on July 19, returned the certificate of the master (Captain F. AV. Bailey). The Court intimated that though it would take time to consider the evidence, the case was not one where the master’s certificate, should be either suspended or cancelled. Captain Bailey said that he and the fourth officer saw a distinct prapge light some time before the vessel stranded. He relied on the harbour navigation lights to give him his directions, and did not consider the orange light was of any consequence. It was subsequently discovered that the ship had overrun the required, distance and actually the orange light was a red light at the end of one of the moles.

Captain F. G. Taylor, harbourmaster at AVanganui, said he had never known the lights on the moles to show an orange colour. Ships were constantly using the port, and no complaints had been received about the lights. Counsel for the Marine Department (Air J. Prendeville) said that the Port Bowen, which had now been abandoned to the underwriters, was insured in London, but the amount of the insurance was not known in New Zealand Officer Felt a Bump. The third engineer, Ronald Oliphant, who was on duty when the vessel stranded!, said that he went on watch at midnight, and before going below noticed that the town lights of AVanganui appeared to be a good distance away. When bo felt a bump, 14 minutes later, lie remarked to the fourth* engineer that he did not think the r vessel could have grounded .because the short lights were a good distance away. A r essels were constantly using the port of AVanganui, day and night, and since he had been there, a period of 10 years, no complaints had been received about the navigation lights, said the harbourmaster, Captain Frederick George Taylor. He said that he wasnot on duty when the Port Bowen stranded, but. the station log-book produced would show the weather at the time. The log entry, made at midnight, showed that there was a moderate south-easterly breeze, and the sea on the bar was moderate to rough. The weather was overcast but clear. AVigram oil lamps were located at the end of the north and south moles, and witness added that he had never knowntliem to show orange. They were visible from the shore and were always red. The lamps were attended to once a month and more often if necessary.' “I have never heard of any complaints about these lights since I- have been in AA r anganui,” said witness,-who added that when he was called, about 1.15 a.m., there was a very light northeasterly wind. High water was at 11.16 p.m. and the tide was higher that night than the average. The first thing her noticed when lie came on duty was that the lights were in good order.

Beacon Light On. A statement by Captain J. Knox, who was not called as a witness, but was on duty when the Port Bowen stranded, was produced. Captain Knox said that he saw the Port Bowen approaching and as was customary when a vesseL was making for anchorage in .the roadstead lie switched on the red beacon light. Captain Taylor explained that a. vessel approaching the roadstead anchorage would take the i*ear beacon in line with the north mole light, and at the intersection of that line and the green .beacon line would find his anchorage. He had never experienced any case where a ship approaching anchorage had encountered difficulty. “I do not know anything about the chief officer’s statement that one of the green lights was faulty,” said Captain Taylor. (Mr Prendeville said that he did not propose to address the Court. Two questions to be answered were: (1) What was the cause of the grounding; and (2) was the grounding due to any act or omission on the part of the master P Mr Kirkcaklie said that he was speaking for a man with 28 years’ experience at sea. The number of cases where masters were held blameworthy were so few that they spoke' highly of the calibre of tho men in charge of ships'. The Port Bowen was a well-run and well-equipped ship. There was no question of any lack of .discipline, and there was a very strong distinction bo-, tween honest mistakes and culpability. In tho present case the Port Bowen was within an aco of getting off. It only touched some distance abaft the the beam and with any luck at all should have swung round and got clear.