RANG! WRECK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1937, Page 8

RANG! WRECK.

INQUIRY OPENED.

COURT PERSONNEL.

OBJECTIONS RAISED. STOUT OF THE VOYAGE. Objections to the appointment of Mr. T. K. An«ii?r*on. secretary of the Auckland Seamen's Union, as one of the assessors were raised by counsel at the opening this morning of the nautical inquiry into the loss of the scow Rangi the Hauraki Gulf on the night of uary 14, when Captain 1\ J. Feter- -< ii. Harold Helgeaon. leading hand, and William Douglas Robinson, seaman, were drowned.

Mr. W- R. McKean, SjM.. presided, and the assessors were Captains G. Sorensen and F. R. G. Jenson and Mr. T. F. Anderson. The proceedings were conducted on behalf of the Marine Department by Mr. N. A. Foden, of Wellington. The owners of the scow, the Leyland-O'Brien Timber Company, Ltd., were represented by Mr. Moody, the Scow Owners' Association by Mr. Moulding and the Federated Seamen's Union of New Zealand by the president, Mr. F. P. Walsh. The objection was raised by Mr. Moody, who recalled the inquiry into the loss of the acow Tamahae in November last, when the Seamen's Union had made strong representations on the subject of the personnel of the Court. He asked the present Court to note his objection to its constitution, in so far as it included Mr. Anderson, secretary of tie Seamen's Union. It was known that he wii an efficient union secretary, hot however excellent he might be, it should he realised, in fairness to himself, that as an assessor charged, with judicial functions and the administration of justice he could not be expected to be impartial and unbiased. The Act provided for the appointment of assessors of nautical, engineering or other endt knowledge. "Acting in fairness to himself or his union, Mr. Anderson cannot divorce himself flow the attitude of a union secretary." said Mr. Moody. "I do say thai the personnel appointed by the Minister cannot in the interests of justice be 'allowed to go unchallenged. It seems to me to violate the elementary principles «of juatiee." Mr. Moody's protest waa supported by Mr. GmddiftgMacistrate'a Ruling. Mr. Foden said that -Mr. Anderson had no personal interest in the matter, except as representing the public as a whole. -He was no more an interested party than the magistrate. Mr. Moody: How does this concern I the Grown? Are you trying to justify the Minister? "I have no intention of holding an I inquiry into the qualifications of the assessors,'' stated Mr. McKean. "It » suggested that Mr. Anderson may be partial to someone. To whom, Ido not know. Perhaps it would be better to say that the suggestion is that he might not he impartial." "I *21 leave the defence of Mr. Andersow to the Minister and the Crown," niw rked Mr. Walsh. "To my - knowledge, Mr. Anderson's only interest ift a public interest in preserving life, and the duty of the Court to to ascertain the cause of this disaster and to try and prevent the occurrence of similar disasters, in the future. If the Court is to be ruled by financial interests, the inquiry may as well not be held. As to Mr. Anderson's knowledge and ability, I shall leave it to the magistrate to judge." Mr. Moody: Such wen-prepared speeches suggest that the Minister expected objections. My objection is cue of principle. Twe Corn ate Open. Intimating that counsel's objections would he noted, Mr. McKean said that ■seesseas were appointed to give the Court the benefit of their special knowledge* which the .Court was unlikely to have. Beyond that the assessors did not mob to have any further powers. The Minister's powers in the appointment of assessors were limited, the Act stating that they should- Kb men of special knowledge or qualifications. Two courses are open to the gentlemot who have raised objections," stated Mr. McKean. "They may apply to the Supreme Conrt to stop the inquiry or, aftarthe inquiry, they may apply to the fhipteme Court to have the finding quashed. I shall let the inquiry proceed, presuming that the assessors have been propeily appointed hy the Minister."

One of the two survivors of the | tr»g©dy, John wiTliaip Mason, ship's boy, said that the Ktngi left Tanranga about 5 'pjn. on January 12 with the nsoal load of logs lashed' on deck with chains and onion screws, and all properly stowed. The mainsail was lowered! *fter the scow passed Cape Colville, the wind having increased from the east. As it was being lowered the sail split. £»jrt.ys.a and jib topsail were also awl" L .,J h 4 t out * r jib sheet carried w »iT- H * U b,ew to pieces. The ■tap was taking sea* over the quarter ""M 1 * was UttlZ wm * * u *** time w>t f r - ti ~ -could -Ot get neu- the I il>> * pnmp owing v°e*2f r£7 W " S tbe list of the vessel. The scow was making for Motuilu Passage. The wind was so strong

that the foresail was half lowered. Being unable to make the shelter of Waiheke, the captain said he "would anchor under Eakino Island. Logs Jettisoned. After the vessel anchored off Rakino Island- some of the logs on the starboard side were then jettisoned, partly correcting the liet, and then the water was pumped out. The captain said. "We can't very well stay. here. We'll try to get up under Rangitoto." **Aft«r lifting the anchor clear of the bottom we tried to set the inner jib," said witness, "but it jammed. There, was some water in her, giving her a list to port, and water was coming in through a hatch for'ard and through the door* of the crew's quarter's aft. The vessel became quite unmanageable." An attempt was made to roll loss off the port side. The chains were taken off, and some of the logs floated out. Captain Petersen tried to roll some of them off. but it was too late. As far as witness knew, neither the logs on deck nor those that had been jettisoned did any dannage to the vessel. Captain Petersen then decided to leave the vesseL This was between f> p.m. and 7 p.m. on January 14. "Captain Petersen grabbed the boy. Woodroffe. and put him into the boat." said witness. "Captatin Petersen was the last to leave, and untied the painter. As be did so the scow capsized." Failing in their attempt to reach Motutapu. the crew let the boat drift j towards the mainland 10 miles away, keeping her head to the sea. There j were only two oars in the l>oat. All the rockets and lifeboat gear had been washed overboard. Witness did not think of getting a lifebelt until it was j too late. Xone of those in the boat had lifebelts. Captain Petersen and Helgeson took the oars. As the dinghy neared the shore a wave capsized it. '

"I never saw Captain Peterson or Robinson again," said witness. "The other four of us clung on to the boat until another wave turned it over again. Then the other three disappeared. I clung to the boat till I drifted ashore."

Witness said that the scow was j loaded only down to the waterline. ITei did not think that another ]>air of oars ' would have enabled the dinghy to reach j land. * j <>oss-examined by Mr. Walsh, witness j said that the cook. Le Faire. was a qualified seaman. The captain occasionally took friends with him on the! scow, as he did the boy Woodroffe on i the last voyage. While the ship was under Rakino Inland an attempt was made to signal another scow which passed. The locker containing the life-saving appliances had been washed overboard between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. A similar story of the Rangi's last \o\age was told by the other survivor. Donald William Woodroffe, aged 13. Grammar School pupil, who was aboard ! the vessel as a guest of Captain Peter|6en. Formal evidence of the nature and probable weight of the Rangi's cargo of logs was given by Rupert Norman Uren. forestry ranger. He said that the 79 logs would weigh about IJ tons each, making the total weiarht of the cargo between 110 tons and 120 tone. The logs were knotty. Sighted by Altair. Captain J. D. Bell, master of the scow Altair, said that he saw the scow Rangi in the vicinity of RAkino Island about 7.30 p.m. on the night of January 14, and passed about two miles distant. The Altair had 'jeen in the storm all day and had lost her sails. She was therefore relying on her engines. Having only about three tons of cargo in her, the Altair had not shipped any seas. Captain Bell stated that running before heavy weather was "the long suit" of scow*. The Rangl was higher-sided than the Altair and should not have shipped water in dangerous quantities. In eleven years, witness said, he had only once aeen as much as a bucket of water get 'down below in the Altair, and that was on a bar. "If the cabin doom were closed, I do not think the amount of water that aould get down below through the cracks would endanger her," said witness. He considered that if all openings in the deck were watertight the Rangl should have been able to live through any storm, if she ran before it. The amount of water getting in through the door would not, witness considered, give the Rangi the list she had before she capsized. Water must have been getting in by some other means. ° answer to Mr. Walsh, witueas said that between squalls visibility was fairly good, but when he was abeam of the Rangi it was poor. Even with the glasses she was hard to see, and ten minutes after he passed she was blotted out by a squall. "The Rangi was not showing any distress signals when we parsed, but a little later a saß was hoisted," said witness. "It was not until we passed her that we saw that she had a list. It _ was impossible to go to her assistance." Though he agreed that his vessel was well-found and seaworthy, witness said that in such a sea he could not possibly help her. Had he stood by he could not have done anything to save the Rangi's crew. (Proceeding.)