THE COLLISION IN OTAGO HARBOUR.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13104, 1 May 1908, Page 8

THE COLLISION IN OTAGO HARBOUR.

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY

OnESS association: telecram.)

DUXEDIX, ApTil 30

The enouiry into the circnmstancce tho collision in the lower harbour on theiidglit of the 18th inst., Ixt-weca tie Lady Roberts, tho Defence boat, and tho Matakajia, a motor fishing launch, opened at Port Chalmers this morning. Mr C. G. Graham; 5.3J.. presided, and Oaiptaine Forbes and Woebling wero nautical assessors. ilr J. F. M. Fraeer c,ppearod for the "Marino Department. Mr A. C. Hajilon for tlie commander or" the Lady Rooerts (Capta-in Gashman), and Mr W. L. Hay for the owner of tho fishing boat. Lieut.-Calonel Smyth appeared on beSialf of the Defence Deportment.

Ca.ptain '"Oastnnan., master of tho Lady Roberts, said the fishing boat suddenly turned to starboard, and a'ttompted io cross liis bow. Ho immediately put has engines full speed astern, and pat 'the [holm to starboard. Thie was the- only tiling he could do. The next moment tlhe boat was under ius bows, and <a. collision took place. There was nothing ho might havo done tJiafc ho did not do. Hie steamer was taking part in. th© volunteer manoeuvres, representing a hostile- vessel icti entrance to Otagp harbour. They had tho nh y> by means of flags ami scale, but they tiid not mask the lights in any way. They did not seek to hide, but tried (to get in under false pro-t«i:i-cea. Tihey had iput sails on tile ship wiuch t»ho had never carried before, and ihad changed tho ocJoair of the funnel by draping it with red flags. Ho had had .no drink at all (that day, awl to his knowledge there was none aboard the .Lady llol>erts that day. When 'tiho collision occurred he threw a number ctf lifebelts into the water. When he entered tito harbour all his lights were banting a.nd unmasked, ami everything about the ship was according, to the regulations. From the time the Matakaaia altered her course to the moment the collision oecnrrod, he should judge "tha-t from five to ton seconds ela.psed. In his opinion tho collision -was inevitable from, the moment tfho Jtatakana. ported hsc ihcim. The- >£attakaiua. vac along on the wremg side of the channel, and the aecadent wae solely due to her attempting to cross the bows of the Lady Robejie. He did not blow his whistle, because ishere was no time to do so.

Other witnesses in their evidence indicated that nothing could have been done.'on the part of the Lady Roberts to avoid the collision.

Trumpeter Peters, of the Port Chalmers Navals, one of those on board the Jlatakana, stated that the members of the Port Navals, who came up in the boat, had a drink in Port Chalmers. Witness did not get a supply of liquor for the camp, but ho would not swear that the others did not get a supply. Hβ did not see any kegs in the boat. Mr Hanlon: Did you have any drink after you left the wharf. Witiwee: Not to my knowledge. Mr Hanlon: Don ,- t you know they wero consuming liquor on the Matakana. Witness: No. Continuing, witness said ho had two drinks in Port Chalmers. Coddoi, the owner of the launch, was sober. Sergeant Montgomery, of the Port Chalmers Navals, said there was a keg of beer on the launch, but as fax as witness saw all the men were sober. Gunner Reeves, of tho Pert Chalmers . Navals, testified to tlw> sobriety of all on board the lajuich. Mr Fraser said he did not. think the suggestion that Coddoi was drunk could be supported. , Ho-called Sergeant Mullany (of the police force), who eaid that Coddoi was sober at 10.10 o'clock on tho night in questiom Joseph Coddoi, owner of \the "Mafcakana, said he carried no lights on. his boat. There was no one on the lookout. Witness first saw the Lady Roberts when; she was two chains away. She was then dead oai to the Matakana. Witness told the boy who wae at the tiller to put the helm hard to port. He did not stop the engines nor go astern. The next thittg was the collision.

The enquiry was adjourned till tomorrow.