CASE OF S.S. WAIKARE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 715, 14 January 1910, Page 5

CASE OF S.S. WAIKARE.

THE FINDING OP ; THE COTOT.'A DEFECTIVE CHART. , y. .(ByTcleifraphr-PrDss ; Association.); V>. . Dunedin, January 13. Tho Court of Inquiry concerning tho .TOook of : the iWhitare:-gave; judgment' : to-day 'as ;; ;; follows :r"The'. ' Court,having; carefully inquired . into \tlie • circumstances attending the casualty, in, answer to thd.;, questionsl'submitted, .find ' for reasons stated: v' : V.v ■ (1) ; Tliht'the vessel 'Struck : on 'anV tlhcharteii(rock ~in Dusky 'Sound,-.'he-;'; ; Ween /.Indian ■ island V and• Passage - ISIOS, at about'; 15.20 p.m.;onJanuary ■ 4, 1910, this striking resulting subse-v quently in. total wreck. . ; ■; ; ~;;y (2)'. That tho - master (Captain New- : . ton);'exercised-fevery care in .navigating " I the vessel in . Dusky. Sound..C-', i■- • (3) That. the' \ vessel.' was fully ■■ . ■ equipped' and. found.;in' eyery'.respect'.;-/ . . in'cnso of disaster. • • . ' (4) That every means was • adopted 'v - for' saving the; lives of the-passengers ";.' . and- -crew,'-arid . also for saving the' - : ship' after the . disaster,'''and also , for 1 ) ensuring the comfort of the passengers V; until resoucd. . : ■ /■ .;. 1 •; ')?■ (5) That the' rock upon which tho. : ; ! ; vessel struck is not. marked on tho • chart. ,I';''.-;;'. LTh'e evidence . Shows that the WaikarS Striiok! an .uncharted rock in. .the .■ Sound.', The ship;was navigated in a.careful and' senmanliko' manncr. and there is'nothing in' the chart Showing- any . dangers 1 existing/in.: the. course , taken by , the ship;' All; witness'.Vagree ' ns' : to the ship's . position; at: the time of striking/, and.'the Wily .sdundiiigs .marked 'on . the chart in the . Vicinity show miobottom tit 136 f athomsi'-: -t The' Cotirt - is: of: opinion that no blame; whatever, is attributable to tile master, aiid they-desire to place on .record their' sense of ; .the -splendid -- achievement of;'.the"-'captain,;'' and the ..discipline and prbmptitude; ofthe; officers; "and ;-crew;.in . lowering .the boats,.placing, the passengers in safety,* attending..,to..their;;comforts, and afterwords in uoiilg. their utmost to savo the vessel, and also of tho prompt manner mth ,which'; the : Union -- Steam Ship Company ;dispafched a , relief'steamer to the scene. .- ; ' ; The master's/certificate has; :. : been turned to him. - • '• 1