MARINE INQUIRY OPENS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26126, 31 May 1950, Page 3

MARINE INQUIRY OPENS

WELLINGTON HARBOUR COLLISION PASSENGERS ON TARANAKI GIVE EVIDENCE (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 29. When the Taranaki and Waipiata collided in Wellington harbour on the night of May 5. two passengers in the Taranaki thought the ship had just passed the heads and had struck a southerly roll, according to evidence at the magisterial inquiry into the collision, which began in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. The witnesses were William Arthur Fox, secretary of the Cooks’ and Stewards’ Union of New Zealand, and Kenneth McLean Baxter, secretary of the New Zealand Federation of Labour. The inquiry proper will begin next week, but their evidence was heard today as they are going overseas. Mr A. A. McLachlan, S.M., was on the Bench, with Captain Neville Riley, master of the Melbourne Star. and Captain John Holm, foreign-going master, of Wellington, as assessors. Fox said he heard the ship’s whistle sounded as it left the wharf. He did not notice anything happening while the ship was going down the harbour and did not hear any whistle sounded. Dr. O. C. Mazengarb (for the master of the Waipiata): Do you think you would have heard them if they had been sounded? The witness: I think sc. Dr. Mazengarb: What did you feel by way of collision? Did you feel any impact? The witness: Very slight. Not very seriously at all. I thought we had turned the heads and had struck a southerly roll. Dr. Mazengarb then asked the witness whether, if he had heard a whistle shortly or immediately before the collision. he would have connected the two. Fox said that he have. To Mr E. D. Blundell, for the Shaw Savill and Albion Company, Ltd.. Fox said he had been at ea for 16 ears, but not since 1930. If he had heard a whistle he would have taken it as a warning and would have expected something to be in the vicinity. Fox said that Captain J. Mac Neil, the master of the Waipiata. had requested him to make a statement, but that he had not discussed his evidence nor re collision with him. To Dr. N. F. Foden (for ±e Marine Department) Fox said be did not know what whistle signals were to be given in such circumstances as a collision. Dr. Foden said that officers on the bridge of the Taranaki would swear on oath that they had <iven two nail blasts. Fox replied mat he would not say they were lying. Baxter, who said he was slightly deaf in one ear. said he could recall blasts being sounded as the Taranaki left the wharf. To Mr Blundell, he said that at the time of the impact he thought the ship had struck a heavy wave. He had noticed nothing wrong until then. Asked whether he thought the sounding of a whistle at sea would have been anything unusual. Baxter replied that he would have thought it to be so. In spite of ’he normal talking at a dinner table it was quite likely that he would, have mentally recorded any whistle he heard. The inquiry will be continued on June 12. Dr. Mazengarb said counsel’s estimation that the inquiry would be concluded in two days might be astray. Dr. Foden thought they might get through : n one day if they could continue at the rate of two witnesses an hour.