THE RECENT WRECKS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 197, 18 August 1906, Page 7

THE RECENT WRECKS.

— . THE SIB H__ICBT, AOTEA, AKD HAEBEMCAI. NAUTICAL INQUIRY ADJOURNED. Tbe nautical inquiry by District Judge Kettle, with Captains Campbell, and Rosa . as assessors, into the loss of the sailing ships Aotea, Haeremai, and Sir Henry, was continued- yesterday afternoon; and concluded with the exception of a few items of evidence which will not be available till next Tuesday. THE HAEREMAl.—(Continued.) It transpired in the evidence of Mr , Eady that particulars of cargo -were sometimes got from the shippers themselves some time after the ship had left. Mr Kettle said this laxity ought not to exist. There was a regulation fixing i penalty of £20 on masters who neglected to furnish a manifest before they sailed, and if this regulation were enforced the laxity could not occur. It was unbusinesslike and caused a loss of time to the Court. Who, he asked, waa responsible for seeing these duties were carried out? Mr Rose: I suppose the secretary, Mr Brigham. Mr Kettle: tie must be called. Josiah Bowden, a lumper, the next witness, said the Haeremai's cargo consisted wholly of timber. Mr Kettle: Was there any timber down below?—Ye3. How much?—lt was full below. Was there any on deck ?— Yes, about .000 or 5000 ft. How much could she carry?— About 60,000 ft. E. Ford* part owner and manager of the Haeremai, said the vessel was worth about £1800. She was uninsured with the exception of about £100 put on her by one of the owners, Mr BrOwn, a solicitor. The owners, however, had an accident pobcy on the crew for £2000. The cargo consisted of 65,300 ft of timber- Her proper load waa between 70,000 and 80,000 ft of that class of timber. The captain came to him saying there were a lot of bad reports from South about the weather, and he thought it advisable not to load deep. He therefore left 7000lt behind, which witness sent along by another scow. The cap tain said he would load her so that her line would be 2in above the water. The Haeremai had at times carried as much as 100,000 ft of kauri and 80,000 ft of totara. The loading was generally moderated in winter time, but it was always left to the captain's discretion. In regard to the deck cargo 4000 or 5000 ft was an exceptionally small lot, and they generally preferred more because she rode better. To an assessor witness said the Haeremai was a vessel that would not capsize. She might have lost her mast. Captain Ross (assessor): Then if she i lost her mast she would not sink? j Witness: No. Captain Ross: Then she may yet be found floating? Witness: Yes. Mr. Eady, recalled, said in regard to regulation 46, relativeto delivery of manifests of cargo before sailing, if the secretary of the Harbour Board instructed him to enforqe it he would do so. He had not been' instructed to enforce it or not to enforce it. But it was impracticable tc carry'it out «omplEtdy. "'

THE. AOTEA. Mr. Rose, on oath, said the Aotca wa--in 89-ton auxiliary schooner, with oil •ngine. She left Auckland for Gisborne >n July 12 in capital condition, and fully ■Hjuipped and manned with a crew of nine all told. She carried as passenger, the captain's wife and a boy baby ir, ,irm3. The vessel was lost with all mnds on or about July 17 in Waipiro Say. He believed an inquest had beci held. The points he suggested for in <juiry were whether the vessel was seaworthy when she left Auckland, the uames of persons who lost their lives what insurance was on the vessel (if ■.ny), what cargo was on beard, and the value of the vessel. Captain Flcmrnrng, of the Marine "De partment, produced n crew list of nine: I. Nicolas 53, E. Hargraves 39, 0. Elara--juist 25, J. Ivereen 23, Rosa Concetto 21. Bagley 27, David Darris 48, N. Tansley 19, J. Cole 20. Witness was never m board the vessel, having left the inspection to an engineer inspector. She was over-manned, carrying three A.B.s and two O-S.'s, instead of two AJB.'s, one 0.5., and a boy, besides mate, engineer, and cook. Henry Wetherilt. surveyor of ships, £*aye evidence that the Aotea was recently thoroughly overhauled and repaired in dock and on the slips in Auckland after having gone ashore in Wai niro Bay. She left the slips in thorough tcawortby condition. Captain Clayton, surveyor, also gave evidence aa to the vessel's seaworthiness. Capt. Ross: Do you think she would work off shore as well as most other vessels?— Yes. I think I could work her off a lee shore in half a gale. C. C. Dacre, shipping agent, said that the Aotca was delayed at Auckland through it taking four or five days to find a certificated mate. At last Hargraves (one of tbe victims) was secured. The certificated mate was required because the Aotea was classed as a steamer. The captain in his difficulty asked to be allowed to go without one till he <*ot to Gisborne, but permission was refused. The Aotea was valued at about £2500, and was insured for only between £500 and £700, this covering the share of Captain Skinner, one of the owners, now on a southern steamer. He believed the cargo was partly insured. It might be for about £240. Mr. Kettle: When she left here, waa she fully laden?—No, bit. She had about 2_in of her side clear. She was an auxiliary oil four-mast vessel. There was proof that she had her bows pulled out at her anchorage, and her mainsail was hoisted with two reefs, and a split from top to bottom. The captain had never had an accident before. Mr. Kettle: Who is responsible for putting on the Plimsoll mark? Mr. Rose: The superintendent of marine and another Customs officer. It is jmost carefully arrived at by measure,- ---! merit, and checked. 1 The inquiry was adjourned till 2.15 jnext Tuesday to enable Mr. Rose to obitain from his Department in Wellington (certain official evidence, coroner's depositions, etc. ! His Worship ordered that subpoenas : should be issued to David Gouk and J. M. Brigham to attend.