THE TAINUI INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 250, 21 October 1919, Page 6

THE TAINUI INQUIRY.

SURVEYOR'S EVIDENCE. SiSULATION AND CONSTRUCTION. (By Telespph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHUKCH, Monday. The Tainui inquiry was reeumed toav. James Powell, who was engineer on lie Tainui to November last, said the filiation was poor. He had seen damgod parts patched with wood from kero- . ene caeee. The Tainui was not suitable j >r carrying ben/.ino. Her bilge, running ore. and aft, was absolutely dangerous nth benzine cargoes. The witness wrote irect to the company, calling attention n the state of the afterhold, which was numerous from a lire point of view. Witess found the complaints were not atended. Ho knew that one branch shiping manager did not forward to the cad oflice a letter of complaint written y witness and the engineer, the main easens given being that the manager id not consider it necessary. The rerigerating machinery of the Tainui was irst i-lass. He thought the pumice used n the Tainui's insulation was not the ame as that on oxhihition in the Court. Die bulkhead door leading into the ngine-rooni wan not partially adjusted int.il he put bolts in, and for a period he lacked the side with oakum. He lid not report as to the danger subse|Uently, because lie considered comilaints would not be lieeded. Mr. I'owell. continuing, said the letter iot forwarded to the head <>liice referred n wagcfi paid to firemen and engineers. Vitne.ss was the only person in the Taimi's engineroom. When hr rioted on a rip the fireman was in charge. The president (Mr. McCarthy) inimated that the Court intended to nspect the wreck of the Tainui. Mr. Raymond stated thut he had proured the log bonk of the steamer liana, which allowed that that vessel •ovßgcd across the prohibited zone by light on fourteen or fifteen occasions. In reference to allegations made by •ertain captains employed in the ri'friger it ing company's vessel".;, that they were irdered to sail through Cook Strait by light while the daylight sailing regula,ions were in force, Mr. Raymond, K.C., vho appeared fur the Minister of Marine, >roduced the ollicial 'logbook of the Mann, one of the company's vessels. This showed that the Mana had frequently <ailed through Cook Strait by night while :he regulations were in force. An far as ■ould lie ascertained, the Tainui had also wiled through tli e Strait by night on several occasions. The President: What the Bench cannot inderstnnd is why the Marine Depart nent did not take action in the matter. Alexander A. Bickcrton, (iovernment inalvst, described the materials of whicli the iiolds of the Tainui were made. The lolds were unsuitable for the carriage of )enzine. The materials were inflammable md absorbed benzine, two fatal objections. Niil (). Hood, Government surveyor of -hips. «; ; 'l lie surveyed the Tainui at [.yttelton on May I last. She was built jf first-elans material, was well constructed and Bound, as aluo ivas the inftilation. He considered the disaster had leeurred through benzine fumes getting' into the c'oniincd space between the insulation and th P skin of tile ship. Afl the; Tainui had been carrying benzine prior j to the disaster it was probable that liquid benzine had soaked through the j insulation and vapourised. The fumes' would then move towards the outlet i under the bulkhead and into the! bunkers. He was of opinion that after! the firm had been cleaned out on the morning of the disaster the tools used, which would bo red-hot, were put between the boiler and the hunker, with the red-hot end resting on the plates ot th o floor. This red hot point would ignite the benzine vapour with which it came in contact. The lire would pass through the timbers to the bilges along under the forward hold, and the explosion would probably take place in the confined space under the hold. The inquiry was adjourned till tomorrow, when the visit to tile Tainui will take place. The hearing of the evidence will then be concluded. C'HRISTCIIIRCH, this day. The Tainui inquiry was continued today. Captain Hood (ships' surveyor) stated that the ploughs in the Tainui's hold rested on white pine case wood, and if rested on the vertical end of the case the wood was of ample strength to hold them. Tf the ploughs shifted the cases would probably be injured or broken. Captain Wilcox (Assistant Superintendent of Marine) stated in evidence that the master and mate were cautioned against taking leaky cases of benzine. Witness was not present during the loading. No complaint reached him regarding the condition of the eases. He visited the ship after the loading was completed and the hatches were battened down ready for sea. There was then nothing to indicate that leaky benzine was about. Witness bad a look round and into the bilges where possible, but saw no signs of benzine and did not smell any fumes.