STRANDING OF THE VESPER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 66, 18 March 1910, Page 5

STRANDING OF THE VESPER.

AT THE MERCY OF THE ELEMENTS. NO MAN AT THE WHEEL. A nautical inquiry -was held this morning at the Magistrate's Court to ascertain the facts connected with the etranding of the scow Vesper. Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., was on the bench, the assessors being Captain Reed and Captain Campbell. Captain Fleming, Marine Superintendent, was present. Mr. J. P. Ridings, Collector of Customs, explained that the Vesper was stranded off Whangaparaoa Peninsula. Notice had been served upon the master, Peter Peterson, and also the owners Messrs. Biddick and Goldsborough. Evidence would be called to show that the wheel was left. Mr. Riding 3 said the inquiry was held' at the instruction of the Minister for Marine. The vessel stranded on the peninsula on the 22nd of January. The actual damage done wae only £ 20, but it would be shown that the cause of the accident was a grave one. The Vesper had gone out with a load of mutton from the Kaipara to be dumped outside the Barrier. In Rangitoto Channel the two men turned in, and Peterson was left in charge at the wheel. Mr. Ridings said he understood 'that was the ordinary practice on fine nights. He would call evidence to show that Peterson left the wheel and went to his bunk, and left the vessel to the mercy of tho elements. Peter Peterson, master of the scow, deposed he was in charge of the Vesper on 21st January last. The Vesjper had a crew of three, including himself. Mr. Ridings: You were master? Witness: Sailing master. P. Wills was captain, and ClarK was the engineer. They went alongside the Kaipara on the 21st to load carcases, to get some frozen mutton, or, rather, stinking mutton. The scow left about 10 p.m. Witness was not told where to take the carcases. Willis told him they were to go outside the Great Barrier and throw the carcases overboard. While alongside the Kaipara three bottlus of whisky were put on board the scow. Witness could not say whore it came from. The engineer took charge of the whisky when it came on board. Witness had'about four drinks of it. The Jumpers had a share of the whisky. Witness got a bottle of rum sent on board from the Kaipara. Witness had been a pretty hard drinker for some time. He did not drink much whisky, preferring beer. Frank Wills was at the wheel when they left the Kaipara. The night was, a clear one. Wills turned in after they passed the North Head. Before leaving North Head witness proposed to anchor for the night, and continue the next day. He did so because he ihad been up for two days aud a night. Mr Goldsborough came alongside in a launch, and told them there was other freight' waiting and they should hurry up. Wills wanted to go on also. Witness took the wheel between the beacon and the North Head, and set the course for between Tiri and Whangaparaoa. The otftier two men turned in, and witness was in sole charge. Witness had held a. master's certificate since 1895. On a fine, night, one man on deck at the wheel was, in his opinion, a sufficient look-out. Ho could see all over the vessel Witness was wide awake, keeping a good look out. He only left the deck for about five or six 'minutes, without calling up another man. That was very often done. He left the deck for over an hour. He kept awake until 20 minutes to 4 a.m. The Vesper wae then about two njiles off Whangaparaoa. He went down- to get' a cigarette. He had a bad headache and collapsed. Mr. Ridings: Did you get hold of that battle of rum? Witness said he did not. At 12.30 o'clock he had a nip that Clark left him. He fell halfway into the bunk, quite collapsed, and went to sleep. He was done up. He would take his oath he did not get the rum. The next thing he knew was Wills calling, "We are on the rocks." Witness at]|oncc got up. That was about 4.30 o'clock. The scow wa3 resting on the rock when he got up. There was no sea to bump the vessel. The engineer tried to push the scow off with a timber jack. A steamer camp along and towed them back to KoMniarama. Mr. Ridings: Have you ever been convicted for drunkenness? Witness: Yes, many times. •Mr. Ridings: Were you warned by the Marine Department if you were convicted , again? Witness: Yes. Captain Fleming: Aβ far as the register goes you -were master? Witness: The vessel was trading, in home trade limits. Steamers under thirty tone had to carry two A-B.'s. Previous to that trip witness had an ordinary seaman on board who left the vessel on the way to Auckland, at Kohi-•ma-rama. Witness was the registered master, and Wills ranked as A3. Captain Fleming: The boat left with one ordinary seaman short. Why did' you do that? Witness: "I told Wills we were one man short, and he said he would get one when the Vesper came back." Witness looked upon WUls ac his boss. Mr. Kettle commented upon the danger of such arrangements. Frank Wills deposed that he was ratec as an A.B. Ho was not master of tht boat, but he was put in charge by th< owner. Witness had a service ticket o; 20 tons. It was not sufficient to enablf him to take charge of the Vesper. Mr. Kettle: You were using the lasl witness as a dummy master?— Yes. Mr. Ridings: You were engaged un loading mutton carcases from th< stranded Kaipara?—Yes. How many bottles of whisky did yoi have aboard?— Three."" Where did they come from?— From th< agent. Mr. Kettle: I suppose it was necessary The smell of the meat would be pretty bad?— Yes, it was a nasty job. Mr. Ridings: Were you all sober?— Yes. Mr. Kettle: Who was really runnin< the Vesper? Who was really in charge —I was. What wages were you receiving?— got £50 per month to run the wholi show. Mr. Ridings: When did you turn in i o the night?—At the beacon. I offered t< take the first watch, from 10 till 12, bu Petersen said he would take it, am call mc at midnight. Mr. Kettle: Did he do so?— No. It was left to Petersen to take wha course he chose?— Yes. Continuing, witness-said that the thre< bottles of 'whisky sent down by the agen ■were disposed of before the Vesper lef the Kaipara. The engineer had a 'bottl of rum in his cabin, but neither witnes. nor the engineer had any of it. Witnes ■went below at about ten. o'clock, aiii turned in. When he awoke, it was a the result of a* tremendous bump. Wit ness rushed up on deck, and found tha there was no one there, and that thi yeasel was on the rocks. He went dowi

below again, and saw Petersen lyins in his bunk. The engineer had alsc turned out by this time, and they hac great difficulty in awakening Petersen On doing so, they found that he was un der the influence of liquor. About a thirc of the rum which was in the bottle - in tht engineer's room had also disappeared The Vesper was subsequently towed ofl and taken to Auckland.. Witness knevi they had committed a breach of the re gulations in going to sea'a man short Witness told Petersen about it, and h: said it was too late to get another manThere was no justification for Petersen having attempted to follow a coursv through the Wbangaparaoa Passage. Wit ness and the engineer were quite sobei at the time of the collision. In reply to Mr. Kettle witness saic there was an alarm clock on board, whicl he could have set for 12 o'clock. He die not set it because it would have awak ened all hands. Peteresen had not beei overworked or overwrought in any way (Continued on page 2.)