AUCKLAND HARBOUR COLLISION.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19669, 12 July 1929, Page 15

AUCKLAND HARBOUR COLLISION.

THE COURT'S FINDING. ttU PUSS IfieUl hrrlM.] AUCKLAND, July 11. The Nautical Enquiry into the collision between the Northers Company's steamer Bangitoto and the launch Alert, in Waitemata Harbour, on the evening of May 3rd, was concluded before Mr Wyvern Wilson, 8.M., and Captain William Watt and Mr Samuel Dalrymple, assessors, in the Magistrate's Court. The Court found that bo blame was attachable to the master of either vessel, and the fault lay with the helmsman of the Alert. On the questions put to the Conrt, the Magistrate found: "That the launch Alert failed to keep on the correct side, and having crossed the Rangitoto's bows, failed to get baek to her correct side; that the collision was due to careless navigation on the part of the helmsman of the Alert, and that neither of the masters was at fault; that the collision could have been avoided by the Alert keeping on the starboard side of the Rangitoto instead of swinging across, just prior to the collision ; that no person on the Baagiteto failed to observe the regulations relating to collisions tt sea; that the action of the master of the Bangitoto, in the agony of collision, was commendable, that the helmsman of the Alert failed to atfve way until too late." The Conrt made no order as to eosta, each party being required to pay its own.