THE STEAMER NIWARU.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 178, 28 July 1903, Page 5

THE STEAMER NIWARU.

MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY.

(By Press Assoeiatkn.)

NAPIER, Monday.

The magisterial inquiry into the aecideiii l-> ihe steamer Niwaru by striking on the rocks when entering the port on the night of Jul£l9 : was continued this afternoon before' Mr Turnbull, S.M,, and Captains Tonkin andfC. F. Post, nautical assessors:

Captain W. P. Fishwick, master of the Niwaru, in his evidence said that there was a haze in the direction of the port and a bank in the sky to the westward. He did not think he had overrun his course. A man was continuously at the lead. He did not want any blame to be attached to any other officers. He would take all the responsibility on himself. The patent log was fairly correct, but sometimes showed a bigger run than had takeu place.

Replying to Mr Cornford. Captain Fishwick said that he, .could see now that it would have been prudent to have stopped the ship or changed her course at a quarter past eight. In his opinion he-was nowhere near the 30ft patch, and he did not think' that was the place where the steamer struck. He was fully a mile to seaward of the red light on the breakwater when she struck, while the patch indicated was only a quarter of a mile- from" therbreakwater. He did not take a bearing when he turned. The ship.'was'"turningwhen he saw the 'light first, and when he saw. it it was then rt - . little forward of the beam. He thought they -would have passed the breakwater fully a mile away at the time the red. light was sighted.

'In reply to further questions, Captain Fishwick said he did not consider this a.welMit port, especially for foreign going vessels. . He. had always got a pilot just-outside the breakwater when entering the port on previous occasions at night. He'"was sure of. his compasses. They-were' last corrected -when coming down the coast, - .■"•."...-

Captain Joseph Maxwell, of the Tokomaru, gave evidence that he considered Napier a badly lit port. He thought it-Would be better if,beacon lights were placed on the Petone beach in line with the Pania Reef and Auckland Rock, so that iiicoiming "vessels could see the channel.- - '*: ■■*•'*"'

Mr. Young,, chief engineer of the Niwaru, stated that the vessel had slowed down . about " eight o'clock She Would, then be going about four knots. The captain was on the bridge all the time. The ship touched at thirteen minutes to nine, when he got the order, "Full speed ahead," followed by "Slow," "Full speed astern," "Stop," "Slow," and various speeds, till twenty-four minutes to ten. He felt the bump. It was not a heavy one, but more as if the steamer had touched mud than anything else. He; spoke to the captain about eight o'clock = with regard to the steam. He was then on deck. The weather seemed to be . somewhat . hazy. The steamer's draught was 26ft Gin when leaving Auckland, but she lightened about 3in aft coming down in consequence of coal consumption.

Proceeding,