HARBOUR COLLISION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 20, 25 January 1927, Page 8

HARBOUR COLLISION.

LAUNCH AND FERRY STEAMER. NAUTICAL INQUIRY CONTINUED. QUESTION" ABOUT SIGNALS. The nautical inquiry into a collision ■which occurred in the harbour, near the end of the Princes wharf, on the morning of November US la«t. between the launch Centaur and the ferry steamer Mollyhawk. wu« fori tinned yesterday afternoon before Mr. K. C\ Culton, S.M.. the assessors being Gaplain T. Braidwood and Mr. C. !«'. Massev. Mr. V. ]{. Meredith appeared for the Marine Department, Mr. .J. Endean for the Ferry Company. Mr. Allan Moody for Captain G. Webb, master of the Molly hawk. Mr. L. P. Leary for the owner of the launch, Mr. T. Huuter, and Mr. Mays for t lie master of the launch, Mr. S. Hunter.

Sydney Hunter, who wa* in charge of the launch, said that his vessel was on the way to Riverhead at the time. Off the end of the wharf engine trouble developed, and he went below for a few minutes. When he came up again tihe ferry was close to him, and almost immediately the launch was struck amidships.

Mr. Cutten: Why did you go away ■with only one engine running?— Because, it would eat up 100 much benzine, and 2 did not have many passengers.

Why did you not go on until you got eloar of where the ferries were coming in and out ? —I thought I was far enough out of the track of the vessels.

In reply to a further question witness said that he did not make any signal Jhat the lannch was not under control.

To Mr. Mays: He considered if the master of the ferry had been keeping a sharp look-out he could have seen that the launch had "no bone in her teeth" and no wake.

George William Thomas Webb, master tof the Mollyhawk, said that on the day of the collision the ferry left the landing at 10 a.m. He gave one blast of the whistle and went under easy steam. When he first saw the launch the latter was well round the eastern corner of the wharf, half way across the face, and four points on the starboard to bow. He gave One blast, and the port helm. Witness was on his course, north halfwest. The ferry started to swing, and her was falling to starboard when the collision came. The launch continued its speed, but not its course. Witness rang "full astern," but a collision was inevitable. In opening the case for the master of the launch, Mr. S. Mays said that the question of responsibility was clear. The launch had been stopped for three minutes, and the master of the ferry should have seen the vessel and got out of the way.