INQUIRY ENDS

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 225, 23 September 1938, Page 8

INQUIRY ENDS

tug holed.

PILOTS IN BOX.

AUCKLAND SYSTEM.

RESPONSIBILITY QUESTION.

WlU * REPORT to minister.

'"M"iry into the sinking of the \„<k H»rl"o.,r linar<l tug Te Awluna was filled t|,i< morning, when the Marine ' '""It of Inquiry |„.nrd the evidence of the ii»«litiii,( liurhoiirninster. pilots and master of l lie William ( . Daldv eon 111 ' f-' the system n«ed for Ihm tiling *Vip* in the Wailemata. 'lb" chairman of the Court "f Inquiry. Mr. W. I!. McKean. S.M.. stated that the ( • >11 rt would later make its report to I lie Minister oi Marine. I here was H mild sensation ip the V session u hen Dr. Foden re ••lille.l < II |»t II ill W. IKelsey. pilot on the niotorship on the propeller "f which the tn;r was holed during a Iwrtliing operation, and questioned him regarding all earlier statement, concerning instructions to the Heeond mate of the Knsex. It. was held by Mr. Ci. P. I'inla v, who represented Captain Kelsey, that a statement made by C aptain Prolan made any in<|uiries on this line 11 ri tHMTHHti ry. Tugmaster's Duties. Captain F. S. Wain house, deputy-har-bourmaster at Auckland, said he "wa« a licensed pilot and had been handling "hips at Auckland for 2S year*. He had been master of the To Awhina. It was usual for the aft tug to moor in * position that was safe. «aid witness. In slewing a shin only, the further aft the tug went the more leverage was obtained. In Auckland, however, tugs were not used for (dewing. The tug could do its job by "pushing on" or pulling off" in a position of safety. There was danger from the propellers, and the tug could not do its job in 'broken water." In ordinary berthing operations it ww* common for the pilot to usn the ship's engines. There was no system of signal# in use. Witness did not think that it would , possible to get an adequate system of signals. "Quite impossible." he said. "How •re you going to get on with a ship like the Aorangi, that has four engines. It if not the tug that berths the shi >. It assists in berthing the ship." It quite often happened, he said, that a tug was drawn In alongside a ship. The tugmaster was the be»t judge of the position to make fast. It was not ■disable for the pilot to direct in this port. The tugmaster was in the position to see the safe lead. / Mr. McKean: U that hi* only duty— to select a safe one? Witness: His main doty. Tewing emergencies. To T)r. Foden witness said that the tug master had the final decision as to where he would moor, and no officer on rw ro "W order otherwise. I)r. Foden s Is there anyone in the Harbour Board who has made a study of the fundamentals of towing, or do rc y entirely on experience? Witness! On hard experience. He said that in his opinion no text hook could lie written that would cover •11 the suddm emergencies that arose. EverT harbour was different from the tugging point of view. To Mr. McKean witness said that the tug would be used for slewing if the vessel has to be taken from the stream. The tug should, however, never be closetto the stern than 140 or 150 feet. Any distance less than that would be "running a risk." To Captain Hamilton! The second officer had hie port line to the wharf to watch as well as the starboard line en the tug. To Mr. McKean witness said that there was a certain amount of responsibility! on everyone, but the second officer of the Essex would be justified In assuming that the tug would maintain its position at right angle*. All sonditions were fairly favourable. To Mr, Barrowelough witness said that i the tug master would have a better 1 knowledge ol local conditions, tides, and •o on, than the stand officer. Captain I—wick's View. Captain W. A. Beswiek, senior pilot \ •f the Auckland Harbour Board, said t that while he had been a pilot, since ( 1020, he had never known of instruc- « tton* being given by the pilot to a tug- c master ae to what exact position he „ should take up oa the ship. The tug- , master was In the most, suitable post- <] tlon to judge. It was not as effective t In the broken water near the propellers. s He had never known a tug to moor so far aft that it was over the propellers. To Mr. Moody witness said that he J had piloted vessels, with Te Awhina * assisting under command of Captain ° Proliert, On most occasions he had been B satisfied with the judgment of Captain Probert. e

"Accident# of thin sort would never occur If tug masters did their duty. Is that so?" asked Mr. McKaan. Witness: That is so. Poaititn for Making Vast. Burgess, master of the William C. Daldy, said that unless in•tructed otherwise, the Daldy'a position was though sometimes he had men told to go aft. He had never been given precise instructions as at which point he should make fast. Te Awhina could h«ve given all assistance that was necessary from the lead further forward Hhe wm not required to slew. It often happened during berthing opartitions that a tug was drawn in agu.mt the ship. No damage was caused if the tug was further forward than was the aft tug on this occasion. «aptain Probert was a competent tusr master. * To Mr. McKean witness said that tlieTe **J* two watertight doors on the Daldy. There wus no recognised drill With regard to safety measures, but all members of the crew had "tried them {out." This had been done when he first >ln«d the tug in June, 1037. He had ad no instruction# to do so from the hoard, but considered it a master's ordinary duty.

Dr. Foden rend a statement from a report that had, he said, been made by C'apta|n Kelscy to Captain Sargeant in which it was stated: "I had sent word to the second officer to take the tug's line aft where ha fitted in best."

Captain Kelsey wm recalled and stated that he meant to take the line where tlio t mniter fitted in. Aft meant any point ahii ft amidships. Mr. Finlay: Did yon mean where the tug master thought .best?

i t ne*- -i: Yes. Mr. McKean: That is not wJiat you <ai<l in your statement.

Mr. Finlay refilled that Captain Probert hud said. "I select the bollard to which 1 make fast."' There was no point, in questioning the exact meaning of any statement made by the pilot, which might or might not be read to moan that the second officer had something to do with the selection of the point at which the tug was moored.