NAUTICAL INQUIRY
WRECK OF THE OPOUBI. . By Telceraph—Press Association. , ! . Graymouth, September 10. An inquiry into tho wreck of tho Opouiri inside the entrance to Grey ißiver on September 3 wis held to-day 'More Mr. T. Hutchison, S.M.. who had with tun as assessors Captains Lobh and Crawford, and Mr. R. P. Turner, t'f Christchurch. Captain Cox, master of tho vessel, in ovidonce, said that at 11 o'clock ho received a 'Morse |message to como in on. a Lead wind. Twenty minutes later, when about half way between the end of the southern breakwater and tho eignal station, the vessel sheered to port, and instead' of answering the helm the ves-. sel paid off and struck the inner northern wall. He ordered full speed to straighten up the vessel, and ordered the mate to let go the anchors, but there was only time to let go the port anchor. Prom the time the ship sheered till she 6truck : there was only a few seconds. He heard 'nothing to lead him to form' a conclusion as to tho cause of the accident. ' After he left the bridge ho learned thnt tho starboard steering gear had carried away.-- Tho second mate was on tho bridgo with him. The steering gear was last inspeoted by tho Government Surveyor in January. Witness inspected the samo at sea on Monday, morning. The i Court examined the gear, Mr. Turner remarking that it was not stripped—it was absolutely rusted away.
The first and second mates gavo evidence,, tho latter stating that ho had heard no sound to indicate .that there was anything wrong with' the steering gear.
Mr. MTCenzie, local inspector of machinery, said he had insnectod the boat and steering gear 6-inco the mishap, and found everything in good order except the union screw connecting tho gear. Tho screw would on appearance have satisfied him. He opened the screw, which had been,6lack evor since it was designed. Questioned by the chairman, witness said the fault would be easily overlooked. The whole thing was of bad design. His theory was that the accident •was due to the sorew breaking owing to the heavy strain.
The captain, recalled, said the Opouri's back was now broken. There was absolutely no chance of refloating her. At the conclusion of the evidence the chairman said the answers to the ques-' tions submitted to the Court were:— "That the stranding of the vessel was wholly duo to the parting of the starboard steering gear. The stranding Of the vessel was not due in any meas-ire to any. wrongful net or default of (he master or any officer of the vessel. We find that tho casualty is due to the stretching Bcrew of• the Btnrboard steering rod being defective and parting while tho vessel was crossing the bar. We think tliat the steering gear having been surveyed and passed by Lloyds', surveyor and the Government surveyor sis months ago tho master was entitled to rely upon that survey as showing that the steering gear was then efficient. We think'the steering gear ought, nevertheless, to have been inspected thereafter at each ter.minal port by deck officers of the vessel to ascertain that it continued to be in an efficient state,; but in view !pf the evidence we do not think omission to do so can be imputed as snch wrongful default as to justify the Court in cancelling or suspending the certificate of tho master or mate cr engineer. The certificates are returned. We make no order as to costs." )''
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Bibliographic details
Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3187, 11 September 1917, Page 5
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586NAUTICAL INQUIRY Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3187, 11 September 1917, Page 5
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