WAIRARAPA INQUIRY.

Press, Volume XL, Issue 5756, 29 February 1884, Page 3

WAIRARAPA INQUIRY.

Ipbess ASSOCIATION TXLSOBA—.I DUNEDIN, February 28. The enquiry re the Wairarapa was continued to-day. The principal witness was Mr A. Hill Jack, Manager of the National Insurance Company, who was a passenger. He Bald the Wairarapa appeared to be going at ordinary fuU speed, and continued —I was sitting in the music room when the talking and shouting of passengers on deck caused mc to step outside. I discovered a steamer nearly abreast of us on the port side, and the passengers on both steamers were near enough for the passengers of each vessel to hear what was said. The steamers approached one another several times quite closely, and I noticed flames coining out of the funnel of the Adelaide. I judged by the smoke that our steamer was also going up, but there was no flame from her funnel, and when the collision took place heat first thought there had been an explosion. He heard nothing about a race going to take place. The CoUector of Customs said the .'evidence would be forwarded to the Marine Department at Wellington. Captain Chatfield said he did not see the object of the enquiry, as the matter would have to be gone into at Melbourne. Captain Thomson pointed out that the law required that a preliminary enquiry should take place at the first port at which a vessel arrived after an accident.