A NAUTICAL CASE.
j l.* B * B * 1 ASSOOIATIOir TXLMKAM.] . BLENHEIM, December 1. At the B.M. Court to-day, the informations against,; Captain. Manning, of the Waihi, for not sounding his whistle when entering tiie harbor on the night of the collision with the Mohaka, and for not exhibiting foremast and side lights, was heard.
The evidence showed that the whistle was blown just before and just after crossing the bar, also on the flats, and a minute before the collision. It was contended for the' defence that this was sufficient. In the other case it was admitted that on entering the river the practice was to take down the foremast light and screen the side lights with pieces of canvas, in order to avoid the glare and shadows which prevent the navigation of a narrow river full of bends and fined with willows. Captain Manning stated that he was compelled to adopt this'couree, from the dangerous con-; i dition of the which had been I neglected for years, notwithstanding 'the frequent complaints to the Biver Board on the subject. He added that hiding the lights was done from no carelessness or negligence, but deliberately for the safety of his vessel. The willows at the bend where the collision took jplaca were twenty feet high, and had both steamers carried lights the collision could not have been aveited. The Waihi could not have expected to meet the Mohaka, as the latter would have gone out at ebb tiie, which was contrary to the general rule. Several legal objections were raised for the defence, but the chief point was that the regulations for sea gciag .vessels did not apply within the river' where: the captain was justified in using bis own discretion, and that it was necessary far the safety of the Waihi that he should do what he did. Pilot Sim*, of Wellington, among the witnesses for the defence, stated that he generally- brought the steamers from the moorings in Wellington harbor, to the wharf without tide lights. Mr Allen, 8.M., reserved his decision in both cases until Thursday.
A NAUTICAL CASE.
Press, Volume XLII, Issue 6304, 2 December 1885, Page 5
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