RIPPLE DISASTER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18184, 22 September 1924, Page 14

RIPPLE DISASTER.

FINDING OF COURT OF ENQUIRY. NO BLAME TO ANYONE.

Judgment was given ct eliiuglon oa Saturday in the Magisterial enquiry into the loss of the steamer Kippie with all hnnds on the morning of the Ttii Acgnst last. Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., who presided with Captains Baron and Mtiir as assessors, delivered the decision of tho Cotrrh Tho Court found briefly:— That the Hippie was in a seaworthy condition when she left port; and her cargo properly and safely stowed: that the deck cargo was considerably iess than that allowed l>y regulation, and it v. - as securely lashed. That the vessel was well found and manned _by experienced ofilc-rs and men. That the weather conditions \v?re not of such severity as to warrant Captain Norling delaying his departure from Wellington. The. Court considered that. Captain Xorling was justified in proceeding to sea. The Court was of opinion that siter being advised of the vessel's need for help all reasonable steps were taken by those asked to render assistance to the distressed vessel, but the heavy weather conditions and low 'visibility prevented any vessel arriving at Cape Palliser in time to save either the Kippie or her crew. The Court found it impossible to sav definitely what causes contributed to the loss of the vessel, but tho facts pointed to some part of her machinery, being disabled when near Cape Palliser, and suffering from this handicap she was eventually overwhelmed by tho heavy Tho Gourt dealt at length, as will bo seen below, with certain suggestions of the Seamen's Union. Judgment of tho Court. Following is the full judgment of the Court: — The evidence placed before the Court of Enquiry, concerning the causes which led to tho foundering of the s.s. Hippie off Capo-Palliser on the morning of the 7th August, 1924, shows that the vessel left Wellington for Napier at or about 3.25 pjai. on the 6th August last. That she was.then in a seaworthy condition and her cargo was properly and safely stowed, that tho deck cargo carried •was considerably less than that allowed by regulation, and it was securely lashed. That the vessel was well found and manned by experienced officers and men. Justified in Going to Sea. That, although at the time of leaving port, a moderate south-westerly gale i was blowing with high seas, yet these weather conditions were not of such severity as to warrant Captain Norling delaying his departuro from Wellington. ' That his decision to proceed to sea was not an- error of judgment is seen from the fact that later in the day W smaller Bteamer, the Kaitoa, left port when the weather conditions were more unfavourable, aiid a third steamer, tho Begulns, left port about midnight, when tho gale tad further increased in intensity. The, Court considers that under the prevailing weather' conditions Captain Norling was justified in proceeding to sea-during the afternoon. < Prompt Steps to Help. Th& evidence further shows that at 1L56 p.m. this vessel was observed by the lighthouse-keeper at Cape Palliser about three miles to the southward. That at 12.20 a.in. on the 7th August the lighthouse-keeper received a Morse message from the vessel asking for assistance, but was not advised of the' nature of the mishap which necessitated help. That the lighthouse-keeper immediately communicated with Wellington, and asked that assistance should be sent to the distressed vessel. That the owners and other firms communicated with took prompt steps to send help, and the s.s. Mararoa, then oil- her .way from Lyttelton to Wellington, was directed to proceed to Cape Palliser in .the hope of picking up the vessel and crew.

When She Toundered. That the lighthouse-keeper kept the b.s. Kipple under view, and at 1 a»m. on the 7th August received another, message from her enquiring if help was being sent from Wellington. He replied in the affirmative, but nothing ivaa said as'to the nature of. tho mishap to the vessel. ■ That at 1.40 a.m., when about five miles to the eastward, the vessel's lights disappeared from view, and tho 1 inference is that she foundered about that hour or shortly afterwards. The galo' was then at its height, and "a heavy confused sea was running off Cape Palliser. According to the light-house-keeper the Eipple seemed to be travelling- on her course, and had covered a distance of about six miles between. 11.50 p.m. on the 6th to 1.40 a.m. on "the 7th August. This fact does not convey to the Court that the vessel was under way or under control, .and the change of position was probably due to the action of the wind imd sea on the disabled vessel. ■ Tho Court is of opinion that, after being advised of the vessel's need for help, - all., reasonable steps were taken by those asked to render assistance to tho distressed vessel, but the heavy weather conditions and. low visibility prevented, any vessel arriving at Cape Palliser in timo to save either the Kipple or her crew. . In view of the limited nature of the evidence tendered it is impossible to say definitely what causes actually contributed to the loss of the vessel, but the facts point to some part of her machinery being disabled when near Cape Palliser, and suffering from this handicap she was eventually overwhelmed by tho heavy seas.

Suggestions by Seamen's Union. It has been represented by the Federated Seamen's Union that wireless apparatus. should be fitted to vessels of the Bipple's class; that they should at all times have canvas bent to aid them in the event of a breakdown of machinery; that in future such vessels should be constructed with twin screws; that they should carry approved sea anchors on deck for use in emergency; that the harbourmaster of tho port of departuro should, -where heavy weather, conditions exist, finally decide •whether or not a vessel should proceed to sea. Not Wit Ma. Scope of Enquiry. Tlteso matters, scarcely come within t'ue scope of this enquiry, but it has been shown in the course of the hearing that the vessel carried canvas, which could have been bent by her experienced crew La a short space of time, and there is nothing to indicate that that had not been done. It has ajso been shown that at the time the Eipple left port there were no weather conditions existing which would warrant >'ta]u&gthe. decision to proceed to sea oat of the master 's hands. . • With regard to the carriage of a liea anchor—it has been shown that the • making 1 of s&Ch an anchor was quite / \7ntliitt-the ."capacity of the members of ' " j., t «£ next column.)

tlie crew of the Ripple, and could,, if required, have been carried out within a short space of time. Fitting of Wireless. The fitting of such vessels with wireless apparatus and the construction of vessels with twin screws are matters which must be determined between the owners and other interested parties, and as the question regarding wireless equipment is now under consideration by the authorities, the Court.does not feel called upon to make any suggestions cn these points beyond remarking that if the Hippie had been fitted with wireless her first call for assistance would have been picked up .by the s.s. Maori, then a few miles south of Cape Campbell, and that vessel could have proceeded at once to the Ripple's assistance. Whether, under the heavy weather conditions and the low visibility then prevailing, the Maori would have rcilehed Cape Palliser in time to save any of the members of the crew of the ill-fated vessel is a matter of chance, which cannot be determined with any certainty. . •