WILTSHIRE WRECK.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 148, 24 June 1922, Page 6

WILTSHIRE WRECK.

CAUSE OF THE CASUALTY. ERRORS OF JUDGMENT. FINDING OF THE COURT. MASTER'S CERTIFICATE RETURXEj. The inquiry respecting the loss of the s.s. Wiltshire on the Great Barrier on the night of May 31 was concluded yesterday afternoon shortly after the 'Star" went to press, when Mr. V. R. Meredith was addressing the Court of Inquiry (Mr. E. C. C'utten. S.M., Captain E. C. Fleming and Captain \V. Reed) i n justification of the seamanship of the master of the ship, Captain B. Hayward, just prior to the striking.

Mr. Meredith stressed the fact that thj master had definite];- assured his position by an observation at noon of the day in question, and that he set and proceeded confidently on hia course in possession of that knowled** plus an intimate knowledge of lii s s £jn and her speed. He had every human reason for believing that lie "was not within ten. miles of land, for the verr low visibility fully explained to his mind the fact that the Cuvier Island light had not been picked up. when h» got a doubtful sounding, and he ordered a second sounding in full confidence that the other one was wroni. Counsel argued that all the known facts in possession of the master justified his action from the point of view of an experienced seaman, and that he was not in liis own mind even taking a chance.

-Mr. Selwyn May?, for tlie Marine Department, agreed that the factor or human error entered into the case, and stated that it seemed to him that th« long experience which har] been placed in favour.of the master may have engendered some slight carelessness which nullified his calculations. Havino- placed all the facts as well a? they could be ascertained before the Court, in the interests of the marine world generally counsel felt that he had done his duty! He could still appreciate the human!tarian aspect of the position, and felt that no punishment the Court could inflict could equal that already experienced by the master in having fallen from the pinnacle of his profession at his time of life, and lost his ship and jeopardised the lives of all aboard.

In reply to Mr. Cutten, counsel stated that the department was asking f or payment of the costs of the inquiry. After a short adjournment the Court delivered its finding as follows: —

The cause of the casualty was that the vessel struck the rocks on that portion of the south-east of Great Barrier Islani to the northward of Rosalie Bay. Wβ are of opinion that the casualty wai due to two errors of judgment of the master. Had the ship made the course eet and travelled at the speed estimated by the master the ship would, according to the master's own evidence, be within range of Cuvier light at 10 p.m. Thi light was not picked up. AYe think that for the ship to continue at full speed for an hour after this time while unable to pick up the light was an error of judgment. The fact that the ship was unable to pick up the lizht could only have two explanations: either that the visibility was not good or that the ship was not in the position expected. It is the duty of a master in such circumstances to give due weight, not merely to the question of visibility, but to the possibility that the ship U not in the position expected, and to proceed with caution.

Further., at the end of the hour » sounding was taken which indicated danger and the necessity for immediate action. The failure to "accept the notification of danger that the sounding implied and to act accordingly because the arming of the lead brought up nothing mdicatine the nature of the bottom was a grave error of judgment. The casualty might have been avoided by proceeding with greater caution when unable to pick up Cuvier light as expected, and later by acting immediately upon the indications of danger given by the sounding taken about 20 minutes before the vessel struck. We have found the inast:T made two errors of judgment, one a ye grave error. There is no reason to deal with the master's certificate. It will be returned to him, but he will be ordered to pay the costs of this inquiry.

BARRIER SETTLERS' FUXD. Mr. A. G. Lunn in forwarding a contribution to the above fund, writes:— "I congratulate you on opening such a fund, for it would b e very inconsiderate of Auckland citizens to allow these settlers, who. generally speaking, are not over-burdened with" this world's goods to bear the whole of the cost as well as the serious discomfort and hard work they faced." Additional subscriptions to the fund have to be acknowledged as follows: — Abraham Williams, Ltd 1 1 0 Hugo Friedlander 1 1 0 Muir Douglas 10 0 A. Rowlands \ \ o •Standard Dairy Co .... 2 2 0 Carriek Robertson 1 1 0 Northern Roller MHs ' 2 2 0 E. Anderson 110 *[ rs - Reid '.'.'.'.'.'. 10 0 Mr. Blackwell mo Hugh Whitcomb ... i i o Sanford Ltd [/'_ i ] o Hutchinsons Wholesale Ltd. 110 A. G. Limn ; ] n Previously acknowledged ...', <;i ]o 0 Total erfiie "o