TAINUI DISASTER

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16654, 15 October 1919, Page 5

TAINUI DISASTER

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY. YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS. The nautical enquiry into the burning and total wreck of the Tainui oil September 16th was continued yesterday, before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M. Captain Felix Black and Mr W. JLe Cren, assessors.

Mr Raymond iecalled "William Henry Farrand for the purposo of examining him as to the condition of the lifeboat. F irnnd stated that the plug was in the lifeboat when it was launched. To Mr "Weston: The boat was a good, strong one It upset after being launched because the Tainui's engines were still running. The lifeboat was seaworthy. ' George Thomas Slade, chief engineer at the Refrigerating Co.'s Smithfield freezing works, gave evidence as to the repairs effected in the after-hold on September 13tli. Captain Cowan expressed hip satisfaction with what had been done. To Mr O'Leary: There were no repairs done in the fortvhold. George Tapp, foreman carpenter at Smithfield, said he repaired the afterhold on September 13th. The insulation walls were broken in two places, and the repairs were soundly and satisfac- ! torily carried out.

John Morgan, a carpenter, who assisted Tapp, corroborated that witr ness's evidence. . j Theodore Xcilsen, waterside worker, who was one of ihe men loading the Tainui for Wanganui, repeated the evidence which he gave at tne Coroner a enquiry, and adhered to his statement that if he had wanted work he would have gone to sea in the Tainui on the night of September 15th, if a man had been wanted. To Mr O'Leary: They were careful to pick out the leaking cases for the deck, but some of the leaking cases might have been stowed in the hold. Alexander Kuus, waterside worker, also gave evidence on similar lines to that which he gave at the inquest. He considered that a leaky benzine cargo , should be . inspected on the shore before it was placed on the boats. There were holes in the bulkhead of the after-hold on Monday, September loth, but he did not know if these ran right through ( to the engine-room side. . Mr Weston questioned this witness as to his nationality. Willie John Pring, stevedore contractor, said there were no holes in the | bulkhead of the nftef-hold. He had ; other ships to stevedore at Lyttelton on September 15th. He visited the Tainui six times, spending about 20 minutes on the boat on each visit. From what he saw of the cargo ho could describe it as a fair average cargo. He had him-self-helped to pass in the last 75 cases, which Kuus said were wet. Four or six leaking cases from this lot .were put on deck. He had tested the 75 cases and none of those leaking was left m the bold. The ploughs were jammed tight bv benzine' cases being placed against them, and there was no packing of any nature used. ..If the* mate insisted on putting the ploughs in any particular place, witness could not override' his instructions. Ho did not suggest to the captain <jr mate that it was n dangerous procedure, to put the ploughs amonor the benzine cases. He was satisfied that the ploughs were so well stowed that they would not shift about. He did not know what became of the benzine taken out of the after-; hold on September 12th. Ihiring the past three or four years the quality of motor soirit tins had deteriorated con-| siderably, and, in order to save the spirits, it was desirable that cases should be handled ■ as little as possible. ■ Some men were careless in handling ■ these enses. . I To Mr Cunmgham: He did not think it was dangerous to stow the ploughs on top of the benzine cases. He was on the Tainui for about 24 hours alto- j gethcr. . . i Mr O'Leary cross-examined witness as to discrenances between his evidenco and statements made by Kuus, and wit-: ness adhered to his statements. I To Mr Winter He was paid for all; the time the men were engaged in loading the Tainui, although he was engag-. Ed on other boats for, most of that day. To Mr Youne: He was also working! the Calm on September 15th, which was , employing between 50 and 601 waterside workers on that day, v-hile the Tainui employed four. Under the circumstances most of his time was taken I up in supervising the men on the Calm. His responsibility was that the cargo should be loaded and stowed properly. As far as he was concerned, there were no orders given him by the master oi ( mate of the Tainui regarding the stow- j age. He did not see any leaking cases _ sent up from the hold, although Kuus. lfad stated in evidence that six cases had been sent up. On September 12th Greenwood told witness that the ben- j l.zine was running into the bilges, and; I withess went down the after-hold to I see where the leakage was, and saw two ! holes near the floor. H? was absolutely | positive that the last truck 'from which the 75 cases were taken was started on | before 5.45 p.m. He thought it would Ibe 5 20. He did not think it would be much better if the motor spirits were contained in durable drums, because the drums would get knocked about quite as much as the cases were. George Tnpo was recalled to_ give evidence with regard to »he ■ hoies which Kuus alleged were in the after bulkhead on Monday, 15th. Tapp said that after the ronnirs were effected he inspected the hold to see if . there were any more holes, and was satisfied that tl-pre were no'holes which had not been repaired. Captain Cowan also made an examination of the_ after-hold, and ex» | pressed his appreciation of the work don*. "There "were no defects in tho insulition walls or bulkhead which could I possiblv be a source of danger when he hnd ■finished the work at Timaru on l September 13th. I The enquiry will be resumed at 9.30 ! a.m. to-day.