THE TANIWHA-WAIMARIE COLLISION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 76, 30 March 1915, Page 4

THE TANIWHA-WAIMARIE COLLISION.

—- —■_—_» »-— - —a— IfAVnCAI. UNQUTRT. BWAiN ALONE RESPONSIBLE. COMPANY'S ORDERS IGNORED. ORDERED TO PAY £10. ALL CERTIFICATES RETURNED. The following evidence was taken yesterday afternoon at the nautical inquiry into the collision between the Taniwha and Waimarie: — Captain Freeman, of the Waimarie, was recalled by the Court, and, questioned by Mr- Kettle, said he had on one occasion instructed the second mate to call him in the passage if he saw any lights or vessels. That was when he was very tired and sleepy. He believed on ■that occasion there were lights, and he was called. Mr. Kettle: You knew these instructions were not in accordance with your own instructions from the company that captains are to be on the bridge when navigating the channel. Witness said he was very tired that night. i»ir. Kettle: Still you must admit that it is a very bad example to those under you not to obey the instructions issued to you. Witness said he could see that now. William Greenberg, master mariner, said on the 9th of the month he was master of the Taniwha. His vessel left Auckland for Paeroa about 5.30 p.m. He was on the bridge until abreast of Bean Rock, when he went to teaMr. Kettle: I see you have entered in your order book that 3"ou are to be called in the passage if any lights or vessels are seen, or in the event of any change in the weather. Witness: Yes. Mr. Kettle: Such instructions should be carried out in entirety, unless some very exceptional circumstances occur. If it would entail working too long hours then that should be represented to the company. By Mr Mays: Witness was in his bunk when the accident occurred. The first he knew was when the two boats collided. When he got on deck the vessel was heading slightly into Sandy Bay, and about half-a-ship's length away from the light abaft of the beam. He asked the chief officer why he had not been called, and the reply" was that he knew witness had been doing very long hours. By Mr. 3fartin: When he went on deck, he found both officers on the bridge. There was ample room between , his ship and the light for another vessel to pass. His chief officer had been with him two years. He had no reason to doubt his chief officer's reliability and skill. He had also found his second officer very satisfactory. Their night order books were passed into the office at the end of the month. The office, therefore, knew exactly what order he was issuing. His attention was not drawn by the office to the fact that the orders in his book were not* in accordance with the instructions issued by Mr. Ranson's circular. By Mr. Johnston: It -was not customary to call him when the passage was clear. The Waimarie must have gone very dose to the lighthouse to get through. The man on the bridge should see the Waimarie long before the boat came into collision. There waa room in the passage for two vessels to go through at the same time. Byl Mr. Wyman: He never had occasion to find fault with Mr. Collins' navigation. Witness found him a very capable officer. By Mr. McGregor: He had not represented to Mr. Ranson that it was unfair to give the instructions contained in the circular. Richard Collins, mate of the Taniwha, said he had charge of the bridge at the time of the collision. Tlie atmosphere was very clear. It was not the practice to keep a lookout at the bow of the j vessel. The officer on the bridge was re- I sponsible for the lookout. He saw the Waimarie showing the red light. She I then crossed towards the lighthouse 1 showing a green light. Witness changed his course so as to make it a glancing blow. The Waimarie was not one length away when she showed her green light. He thought the Waimarie's steering gear had carried away. Witness said, "Hard astarboard" right out It was the sudden changing of the Waimarie's course that caused the collision. By Mr. Johnston: The collision took place five or six ship lengths towards I the Auckland side of the light. He saw the Waimarie when she came abreast of the lighthouse. It was after that the Waimarie altered her course and exposed the green light. She sailed for four lengths exposing her green light before the collision took place. The green light was a clear indication to him that the Waimarie was going to her own port side, and would still further close up tbe distance between her and the 1 lighthouse. THE INQUIRY CONCLUDED. I The hearing of the inquiry concluded this morning, brief additional evidence being taken. Mr Johnston, in addresing the Court on behalf of his client, the second mate of the Waimarie, contended that on th. night in question it appeared to the officer in charge of the Waimarie unsafe to follow the rule of the road in passing the Taniwha. The coastline of Ponui Island presented peculiar difficulties, while he gathered from the posltion of the Taniwha that she was hug |gmg the Ponui side of the channel. " Mr Kettle: Well, he should have stopped and .whistled. He ought to have known that he was to take the starboard side, and should have brought his vessel to the entrance accordingly. Mr Johnston: He certainly" might have exercised more caution, but for that matter both vessels ought to have whistled. Mr Kettle: We are not considering the other vessel at present. The Waimarie s second officer had ample time to make up his mind what to do. Mr Johnston: Both steamers were on the wrong side, and assumino- that be considered the starboard couree unsafe, be was guilty possibly of an error of judgment in going to .port, but he did what he thought ,was tbe safest tiling to do under the circumstances. Mr Kettle: But he had plenty of time to consider. Why didn't he' stick to the rules and whistle that he was ?oT?b t0 starboard " Had it not been I for the presence of mind and prompt action of the Taniwha'. officer, both cCntr 5 beC " SUnk in th * mifihof" 8 *?! 1 6n P roceed «d to subnit t at as the damage to the vessels was slight the Court hid no juxkdiTtion

to deal with the certificate of _b -n_ nf He explained that Mr. Mays _ai __T_S him an estimate of the damae* „ Ji* totalling £49 6/, of which £48 8/ to the Waimarie, and £1 +»' .f* Taniwha. W th « Mr. Mays handed in a statement t_ this effect. - FAULT WITH WAD-AIUM OFFICER. After a short adjournment! ,*, deliberation. Mr. Kettle T»that the Court had cometo ttS mous opinion that the co___ o a w» due to the failure on the part of Th! second officer of the Waimarie to coJrft with Article 25 of the lations, regarding a starboard rale "ii. the case of a narrow channel, and _i_. respecting Article 28, which sets fcrft that steam vessels must not* attemrt to cros s one another's comae wit_ o __ sounding certain signals. As to t__ ' article referring to special cinW stances the Court were of opinion s_ithe president, that there were __\ special circumstances in the case at ill to justify the second officer of t _J Waimarie in not complying with Bern lation 25. The conditions were a* nearly normal as they could beat that time of the evening* (about 7-40-), H( J there was no reason why the Wainjari. should not have taken up her position on the starboard side instead of trying to go round on the port side, ilj second officer's excuse, that he thought the Taniwha was taking the Ponui B id» of the channel, was-not j_sti___"]n M Court's opinion. He saw tfctf Tjthet vessel's lights in plenty of time, and, il necessary, could have whi_tled and stopped or reversed, and go J_ w avoided an accident quite eaefly. __» evidence showed that he alone was responsible for thi3 collision. TANIWHA'S OFFICER CoM___K&__ v With regard to the "officer ia eharfe of the Taniwha the Court found that he also disobeyed the regulation in not calling the captain. Bnt when the collision was imminent he was apparently cool-headed, and did the right thing, so averting what might have been a very serious collision. "We commend the conduct of Collins in handling his vessel as he did to avert a serioai collision," said Mr. Kettle. "We.thinki on the other hand, that Swan lost hk head, and did not know what hit doty was with regard to the narrcy channdl regulation. We think he We to .blank) in deliberately ignoring the captain, order to call him when approaching tkii channel. SWAN TO PAY £10. - "We understand that he has lost Vt appointment in the company's servi_ Although we cannot dear! with lm *»• tificate he must bear a portion, ol t_i costs of tbe accident, and we hare d*> dried that he shall pay ■'__■• tow Mii them. If the damage to" the Waiaurit b.id beeu, in our opinion, seriO-g da* age. we should have had to deal with ii. certificate, but as the evidence does not justify the finding of serious daawj. we shall give him- the benefit of __c doubt on that point. •. "With regard to the special regn_tions issued by the company," added Mr, Kettle, "the Court is surprised that asjr officer, in face of..such clear-ijjtnictioia, should attempt to ignore them. If serious collisions are to be avoiini, discipline is the word which should be writtra largely in mind and memory of e~_f officer who takes upon himself-the responsibility of-" navigating; mtte^th" The certificates were ordered tpbe _t returned. The following is a copy- of the eirwu_ issued by the Northern Steanudnp'-Wt' pany in February respecting the J»»----gation of the Ponui Passage:— . "--'____i j ; f kfCIRCULAR TO MASTERS AS© OFFICERS. 'Re Sandfipit Passage.—From _■ evidence of the inquiry into the cause _ the collision between the p-s. Wakater* and tbe Katie S. in the Sandspit Hateage on December 16th last, it wm prot*i7 that the narrow channel rifle ■'{__-—h; 1 25 of the Collision h_«2»e» disregarded by vessels passing the passage from the Thames side/ As this is a direct breach of t_e_i—«• of the road, and as the Court hae-no? definitely laid down that- the narrow channel rule applies to the flapfTlfrf Passage, in future officers, when niri - gating the Company's steamer. __f«i_V the passage, must, when it is "safe Ma practicable, keep on that sOt oflsttj. mid-chanel which lies on the -tftrfceari side of gueh vessel. As the north side of this passage • not buoyed, the Marine Department hit now been asked to buoy it. "7, Masters in charge of vessels _**s>*f through the Sandspit Passage art 2*» personally take charge of the -ridge** all times while their vessel is pMWf through the passage. _———_————_a.