SINKING OF THE KATIE S.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 26, 30 January 1915, Page 6

SINKING OF THE KATIE S.

NAUTICAL COURT'S FINDING. A SECOND MATE'S ERROR. Judgment in the nautical inquiry respecting the collision on December 16 at Ponui Passage, Tamaki Strait, between the scow Katie S and the p_s. Wakatere, was given by Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., this morning. Mr. Frazer, S.M., was assisted in the inquiry by Capt. H. A. Couldrev and Capt. W. J. Reed. Court found that the casualty -was caused by tho stem of the Wakatere striking and severing the wire guy on the port side of the bowsprit of the scow Katie S, and breaking the bowsprit oiT at tho inner end, with the result that the bow of the scow struck the Wakatere heavily, and was stovo in, causing the scow to fill and sink in shallow water. The casualty was directly caused, the Court foupd, by Neil McArthur, second mate of the Wakatere, misjudging the distance of the position of tho scow, and subsequently committing breaches of the regulations for preventing collisions at sea. The Court further found that the casualty could have been avoided if the Wakatere had kept to the starboard eide of the mii'-channel of Ponui Passage, as required by article 25 of the regulations, or if, when approaching the scow, the Wakatere had been stopped, or had had her speed reduced, or had reversed; as required by article 23 of the collision regulations.

In an annex to the report, the Court stated that MeArthur, in charge of the Wakatere, at 8.15 p.m., was misled by the loom of the high land on Ponui Island into concluding that the scow was on the northern side of the Passage when she was actually on the southern side of the channel. But when neglecting to keep to the starboard of midchannel, he neglected to indicate his change of course by sounding two blasts of the whistle. The assessors were of opinion that even if he had done so the scow was so much nearer the steamer ; than MeArthur had judged, that she I could not have got out of the way in time to avoid a collision. Tlie assessors and the magistrate, however agreed that MeArthur committed a grave error of judgment in going to port at full speed without first stopping to verify his calculation of the scow's distance and position. The Court was of opinion that a steamer should always comply with the Starboard rule in proceeding through Ponui Passage when a sailing vessel was approaching from the other direction, unless the conditions of wind and tide were such as to render it improbable that the sailing vessel would attempt to take the other side of the channel. Gustafson, in charge of the geow. was not held to be culpable. The Court did not think it necessary to make an order cancelling or suspending -McArthur's certificate, but an order would *be made ordering him to pay £10 10/ towards the cnHts of the investigation. Incidentally, the assessors intimated that they considered it inadvisable that both the helmsman and the lookout on the Wakatere should be inexperienced lads. The Marine Department was represented at the inquiry by Mr. Selwyn Mays; T)r. Bamford appeared for AleArthur, and Mr. M. G. McGregor represented the master of the scow.