THE FORREST HALL WRECK.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13374, 16 March 1909, Page 8

THE FORREST HALL WRECK.

NAUTICAL EXQTIRY AT AUCKLAND. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELT.GIIAM.) AUCKLAND. March 15. Tho Court of Enquiry into the wreck of the Forrest Hall opened this mornJohn Collins, master of the Forrest Hall, stated tliat at daylight on February l>7 tJi, the ship was heading for land, which was fifteen lnilos diAUint. All the sails were sot. He had instructed the chief officer to keep as close in as possible, to make a favourable port tack. He relieved the chief officer at eight o'clock, when tho ship was about four miles off viio laml. 'lho crow were then called to "■'bout t>'hip, ' in order to keep the vessel on iier cour>o. At 9.30 the grazed tiso bottom about- a mile ami a-haii irom shoro. cSho rctnai'iicd fast for about three lu-m----utes before t-iie struck, 'lho mat* tald th<- man at the wheel to port the holm ■hard up, but witness countermanded the order and told him to'keep straight on. Ho did not take soundings, r.& he believed tin' vessel to be well outside the hue oi danger. Xno intended course was through Cook Strait or round the south of 2\ew Zealand. The ship took a list to starboard. Witness gave the crew permission to leave her. He gave a small quantity of drink to the men on tho beach. and two of tho bottles of nnn brought ashore were stolen. The koti of rum was left aboard. Ho heard afterwards it was brought ashore. Mr Mays (Crown .Solicitor) said, as a matter of fact, t.he men went out to the ship to rescue the second officer and .a seaman named Passmore. They came Ixack without tJiem, but brought the kec; of rum. Captain Collins, continuing, said that before he loft the beach complaints were made that the crew were destroying the stores, .throwing food over the rocks, and breaking chests of tea. They must have been mad or drunk. A complaint was made that a man named Ramsey oh need cue of the- crow about the beach brandishing a knife. Witness saw Peterson with his hood out open. Witnc>TS was too ill to interfere, but the mate knew, and should have acted. He attributed the wreck to an error of judgment, possibly affected by the state of his health.

William Glass, cViief officer of the Forrest Hall, doiKKrd that a few minutes lxrforo the ship struck lie advised the captain to turn her round. The captain replied that lie was the responsible man -n boar<l. Witness added, "the ship is going ashore," and called to the helmsman, "Hard up with tho helm, and keep her away." The captain said, "Keep her full and bye; I will take tho responsibility." The captain then ordered witness off the poop. He had eeen nothing unusual about tho captain's health. There was no justification for anyone saying that he. (witness) was under the influence of liquor. He did not see. any riot on Saturday night, but the men were jolly getting the stores off. Witness had a fow words with the steward and struck him. A slight struggle, ensued, in which, tho cook lifted an axe to him. After the wreck everybody packed up for himself. No orders were given to tlie crew. Ho went to Parengarenga with the captain because he knew that tho captain had been ill, and because lie felt slighted through tbe captain telling the third officer to look after things in his absence. He did not force himself on to the conveyance, and the captain did not tjt?3l him that he had better stay. Ho was not riinninc; about tho beach all Saturday night in a drunken htate. Tho captain, recnlled. sworn thnt the mate never complained to him about the loss of the log. On tho fshoro ho asked the mate where the log was, and h» replied that ho did not know. AVitness asked tho second and tho third officers if they knew where the log was, and either tho second mate or _ the steward said that ho had seen it in the mate's room tho day they struck. After the ship struck ho gave orders for tho boats to be got ready for going ashore, and told tho steward to provision them.

Charles Miller Collins, an A.B. (brother of Captain Collins), who was acting as third officer, said that on the morning of the wreck he told the mate that tho eaptnin was very ill, and that the mate should keep an eye on things, as they were getting near land. When he spoke thus to the mate, the latter was perfectly sober; but Later on ho ras drunk. On tlio beach on Sunday the mate was very drunk, and was behaving like a madman. On Sunday he saw that the provisions had ■ been thrown about in all directions. Food had been thrown into tho firo at tho captain's hut. When tho captain was leaving for Parengnrenga on Sunday, Ramsey was "mad" (drunk). Tho mate was never sober from Sunday morning till they got to Piirengarenga. Arthur Hughes, steward and cook, said that at four o'clock on tho morning of the- wreck tho first officer was drunk. He was annoying the witness at the galley, cur.-.ing and swearing at him. Later in the morning the mate on two occasions assaulted him. Fully -a month and a half's provisions were put in the boats. Witness passed what he took to be the mate's log into tho boat in which t>he mate went ashore. Before leaving he endeavoured to get tho second mate and Paasmore, A.8., into tho boat, but they were dead drunk. He •dragged tha officer out of his bunk, and pulled him to tho rail, and the officer cursed, him when he tried to get him over the rail. When ho got ashore Ramsey and the mate were drunk, and they continued sd until midday next day. Ramsey lv.Ti destroying stores on the shore. Tho captain was ill on tho voyage, and bad not had anything solid for ten days.

Frank Hudson, A.13., who w;>i> at the wheel when the vessel grounded, stated that after tho ve*t--el struck first, she Failed on for about two miles before ehv touched again and grounded.

In cross-examination witness stunk to his statement, saying that distinctly felt Iho vessel toudi the first time, about an hour before grounding. It w.t: .stated that the only information available as to insurances was that the vessel was partly insured at Homo. Thr- Court held ith-t enquiry should not bo closed until full particulars of tho insurances wero available. Tito onouiry was accordingly adjourned till Friday.