Wahine Engineer Tells Of Threats By Passengers

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31724, 6 July 1968, Page 1

Wahine Engineer Tells Of Threats By Passengers

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 5. The Wahine’s fourth engineer, who had been in the ship only five days when she foundered in Wellington Harbour on April 10, said today that passengers in a lifeboat had threatened to throw him overboard while he was nicking ud survivors from the sea.

Philip William Bennett told the Marine Court of Inquiry into the ship’s loss: “They thought I was threatening their safety. I picked up 15 to 20 people.” He said some of those aboard the lifeboat did not want him to pick up more survivors. Mr Bennett, who was in charge of the lifeboat, threatened some passengers in return. Mr Bennett also told the court he inspected the motor propulsion room after the ship struck Barrett’s Reef at the harbour entrance. Water was almost waist deep when he entered the room through an escape hatch. He stayed for three or four minutes trying to start the emergency bilge pump. Mr Bennett said he saw water coming through the side of the ship. “I couldn’t actually see a hole, but there was definitely a fracture or something.” Raft Landed The second engineer, William Fisher Watson, said he was on a “pretty full” liferaft which landed on the eastern side of the harbour. There was no-one on the shore at the time to meet the liferaft and the passengers had walked about halfway to the Eastbourne township roadhead before they met a party of police. Earlier today, the chief engineer, Herbert Wareing, testified that sheet metal, which could have been used to cover ventilators which were spilling water on to the vehicle deck, was in the flooded motor propulsion room. So were tools which could have done the job; Evidence was given that water from the ventilators was coming from flooded tunnels under the vehicle deck. Mr Wareing said pumps had been used all morning on April 10 in an unsuccessful attempt to empty water from the motor room: The ventilators were blocked with sacks and canvas and these prevented much of the water getting through. Mr R. C. Savage, for the Minister of Marine: Do you really mean it was not feasible to get something somehow in the ship which

could be used to stuff the ventilators?—lf we could have done anything more I think we would have got on with the job. Mr Savage: No bits of wood, no trays, no doors ... nothing more?—l .couldn’t see anything around. After all, we are engineers, not carpenters, Mr Savage. We did our best Mr Wareing said he had been concerned but not alarmed about the free surface water on the vehicle deck. At time*, when the ship rolled, the water was about 18 inches deep in the dip near the engine room casing where the vehicle deck slopes slightly. The water could not be drained by the scuppers because their outlets were under water. Some water had surged over the engine room door sill and into the engine room. It had been pumped out Questioned by Mr A. F. Macalister, for the Merchant Service Guild, Mr Wareing said that until 12.30 p.m. when the ship shuddered he felt “very confident” that the Wahine would stay afloat Mr Wareing did not say what he thought caused the ship to shudder. Ballast Moved

Mr O’Flynn: In the sworn affidavit by the Harbour Master he recorded a message from the ship, “At 1230 hours I received a message from the Wahine to the following effect: request pumps.” Did that message originate with you?—No, I did not know anything about it Did you want any more pumps?—No. Anyway I could not see how they could have got them on the ship. I thought I got the impression that ail four pumps in the ship could have been made to work on one compartment or on all compartments?—That is correct Do you think you had any chance that all four pumps would have pumped the motor-room dry?—Not a show. We could not have pumped out Wellington Harbour. Out Of Water Mr Wareing told Mr Macalister that if the propellers came out of the water he would know. Mr Macalister: During the period the master was manoeuvring in the half-hour before she struck the rocks, did you hive any indication that the propellers were coming out of the water?—During that half-hour I think they were out of the water most of the time. An assessor, Mr G. C. Apperley, asked the second engineer, Mr Watson, if he

felt the liferaft was a safe vehicle when he was in it Mr Watson: My recollection is that it was fairly comfortable. Asked to describe the movement Mr Watson said it could be compared with the way a caterpillar gets along —a sort of lift and crawl movement as the surf went underneath. Mr Apperley: I understand a large number of people get sick in these rafts. Mr Watson said he had been sick. Raft Overturned The third engineer, Theodore James King, said that the liferaft he tried to get away was upside down, and he had attempted to turn it over. Passengers got on the liferaft so he helped them on to other liferafts in the area. When the inquiry ended its second week today 22 witnesses, mainly crew, had been heard. Many more are expected to be called. The Court is still considering the second of six divisions of the inquiry—-the Wahine’s movements from the time she left Lyttelton until she was abandoned. One passenger who lost his wife and several other witnesses have been called out of order because of impending travel overseas. The hearing will continue on Monday.

Mr Watson, under crossexamination by Mr F. D. O’Flynn, counsel for a group of survivors, said that the No. 9 ballast tank under the flooded motor propulsion room had been pumped in an attempt to raise the stern of the ship. “The idea was to raise the stern of the vessel a little and let the water trickle for’ard so it could be dealt with. Mr Watson agreed with Mr O’Flynn that just before the Wahine was abandoned the ship seemed to go down by the bow and list.

Mr O'Flynn: Did it not occur to you that what may ultimately have happened was that more water than was expected came down the vehicle ramp when the stem was raised slightly?—No. Under cross-examination by Mr Macalister, Mr Bennett agreed that as he left the engine room he got the impression that water on the vehicle deck had moved forward a little. Mr Macalister: That would be consistent with a change to fore and after trim?—Yes. Steering “Perfect” Mr Wareing said the Wahine’s steering gear was of the electric hydraulic type. In his opinion it was working perfectly as the Wahine approached the entrance to Wellington Harbour. Mr Savage: During the period of manoeuvring is there any possibility that the steering could have failed in some way?—None whatsoever.

Is there some alarm system when a defect occurs?— There is an alarm and a flashing red light. These devices function if there is a defect in either the steering pumps or motors.

Mr Wareing said that all three auxiliary generators on the vessel were working a* the vessel approached the harbour entrance. All three continued to function after the grounding. Mr Savage asked Mr Wareing if he was familiar with the working of the scuppers. They will let water out but they will not let water in?— That is quite correct Mr Wareing said that just after the Wahine had struck it had been found that one of the scupper valves was jammed and was letting water in. It was only a small amount but it was noticed quickly, and blocked.