KOKIRI INQUIRY Seaman Blinded By Flash After Turning Wheel

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30761, 27 May 1965, Page 3

KOKIRI INQUIRY Seaman Blinded By Flash After Turning Wheel

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 26.

A leading seaman told the Kokiri inquiry 7 today that when he turned a wheel which controlled electricity to the ship’s winch, he was blinded by a flash and suffered burns to his face and back. The seaman, Alex John McLeod, said the flash was followed by two explosions.

Two seamen died in the explosions which severely damaged the collier as she was approaching Aotea quay on the night of March 13.

The inquiry is in its

second day and is expected to continue for another two days. Nine witnesses of 27 to be called have so far appeared.

The inquiry is presided over by Mr J. A. Wicks, S.M. Assisting Mr Wicks is Captain W. J. Keane, the director of mechanical engineering for the Ministry of Works, Mr R. N. Kerr, and a colliery manager, Mr S. R. Eyeington. Counsel for the Superintendent of Mercantile Marine is Mr R. C. Savage, assisted by Mr D. P. Neazor.

The master (Captain H. T. Pool) is represented by Mr L. G. Rose with him Mr V. G. Stone, the Union Steam Ship Company by Mr J. C. White, with him Mr M. J. Powles, the Merchant Service Officers’ Guild by Mr A. F. MacAlister,' and the Mines Department by Mr W. R. Birks.

Mr C. H. Arndt is appearing for the Federated Seamen’s Union and the Northern Taranaki, Wellington and Canterbury Waterside Unions’ Association. Mr J. Heriihy is appearing for the Federated Cooks and Stewards’ Union of New Zealand. Mr Savage today continued his cross-examination of Captain Pool on the question of the plugged ventilators leading from the hold to the bridge and near the mast-house—believed to have been the scene of the first explosion. Mr Savage: The reason the ventilators were plugged was because of the weather? Captain Pool: Yes. Blocked By Coal The ventilators were blocked by coal, anyway, weren’t they?—Yds. You said earlier that you were aware of the ventilation necessary for a coal cargo?—Yes. It would be a bad practice, wouldn’t it, to load so that the ventilators were blocked by coal?—We couldn’t load to the maximum capacity of the holds, anyway. Surface ventilation is necessary for coal, isn’t it? —Yes. Leaving Greymouth with the coal you found the conditions difficult?—Yes.

How long does it take you to get over the bar—About 20 minutes.

So again we come back to the question that the main reason you plugged the ventilators was because of the weather you were experiencing?—Yes. But once out at sea you

would have charts as to the weather you were likely to experience?—Yes, but only from news broadcasting. But couldn’t you leave the ventilators unplugged and if things started to get sticky, turn the ship into the sea and then put canvas over the ventilators?—lt is dangerous working on the deck during heavy seas. Besides that, if you turn the ship into the sea you would bring more water over the deck. The master was cross-exam-ined about ventilation by one of the assessors, Captain W. J. Keane.

“We will accept that the other ventilators were awkward to handle -but the six-inch ventilator on top of the mast-house could have been handled by one man?— Captain Keane asked. “Yes, but two or three inches of seawater would have gathered on the floor, and electrical equipment would have got rusty,” said Captain Poore. Captain Keane: This is one of the hazards of going to sea. The safety of your ship is the most important feature? —Yes.

The chief officer, Mr A. Cullen, said when the Kokiri was approaching Aotea quay after 9 p.m. on March 13, he was on the bridge.

He saw a flash and heard a loud explosion. Debris began falling on the bridge. He heard two more explosions. These were both muffled. He thought these two explosions came from the starboard side. He had tried to blow the

abandon ship whistle, but it would not work. He noticed that the engines had stopped and went to the boat deck where he saw the master mustering hands and preparing them for the abandon ship procedure, Mr Cullen said.

He later learnt one of the hands had fallen overboard and he called out to the American sailors who had arrived on the scene in a power-boat to search for this man.

To Mr Arndt, witness said he knew there was no surface ventilation in the No. 2 and 3 holds. Mr Arndt: Isn’t there always a possibility that with no ventilation gas could have percolated to the masthouse? Mr Cullen: Yes, gas could have been there.

Wouldn’t it be important then that there was no sparking in the masthouse?—Yes. If there was any sparking then there could be an explosion?—Yes. Isn’t it likely that with all the ventilators plugged gas would be present in the masthouse?—Yes.

Did you give any orders to open the hatches or to operate the winches?—l gave orders for everything to be made ready, but I did not give direct orders for the winches to be operated Is this normal practice?— Yes.

To Mr Birks, witness said he never put much significance on the pit certificate about the quality and nature of the coal which they re-

ceived on loading at Greymouth.

Cross-examined by Mr Savage, McLeod said the seaman. Scanlon, who was killed in the explosion, was unshackling a wire on the hatch before the explosion happened.

He had not seen hammers used on Nos. 3 and 4, but hammers were being used on Nos. 1 and 2 hatches. Before the Kokiri left Greymouth he had closed the mast-house and trunkway doors. He had not felt unhappy about the ventilators being plugged. James Mathias Whitecliff, an able seaman, who was at the helm of the Kokiri when the explosion happened, said he was steering the ship by the lights of an American icebreaker. He was knocked backward by one explosion. After another explosion he found himself on top of a life boat. When he went back to the bridge he found it wrecked. The crew orderly, Lionel Stevens, said he was in the mess-room at the time of the explosion. He went to the doorway to see what had happened. There was about five to 10 seconds between the two explosions and after the last explosion, he heard someone crying for help. He threw a lifebuoy into the water, but he could not see whether the light in it went on or not.

A waterside worker, Michael Samra, told the commission that when shovelling coal in a hold of the Kokiri, he found a short piece of gelignite. He was sure it was gelignite, because he had had experience as a miner.

He took the gelignite to a union delegate.