S.S. HIMITANGI.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 93, 19 April 1912, Page 8

S.S. HIMITANGI.

HER STRANDING AT THE CHATHAMS.

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

'An enquiry into the circumstances connected with tho stranding of the steamer Himitangi at the Chathams on 11th February* was held at tho Magistrate's Court this morning. The Court consisted of Dr. M 'Arthur, S.M., and Captains Post and, Black. Mr. C. E. Nixon represented the Customs Department, Air. Dalziell appeared for the Chatham Islands Fishing Company, Ltd., and Mr. 4-, \Gray for Captain Cowan, master of tho Himitangi. Captain James Cairns Cowan, master mariner, said the Himitangi was at anchor at Waitangi on the night of 11th February. Tho weather was calm and the place was - well sheltered. After anchoring, he set the .usual watch, and left instructions to be. called if 'there was any change in'the weather. About 4.40 a.m. he felt the ship Toll. He called 'the officers and^crew ; sent a matt to tho chain locker U> get ready to haul in the anchor-chain. He 'rang "Stand-by" on the engines, and did his utmost to keep the vessel from going-on tho beach. Th© vessel touched bottom, and therefore the engines were not of- much use. He then tried to get the vessel's bow on to th© beach. Subsequently gave instructions to the chief engineer "to fill the ballasttanks_ to prevent tne vessel from going further up the beach. Before the vessel went on the beach he ga«ve- instructions to call all hands, and get the passengers ashore. The passengers were safely landed. . Put two anchors down with 150 fathoms of rope, but these ropes proved insufficiently strong. Put. down a rope made of fencing-wire; but the gear he had proved of no nse. The usual watch for twelve years past on the Himitangi had been to leave the fireman to keep the anchor watch. » The fireman's duty below was light. - He had four tours on and eight hours off. Under • the circumstances he did noj think" it would be better to havo ' an A.B. to keep watch. The quantity, of ground tackle was. more than ample, and was perfectly satisfactory. He attributed the fact of the gear giving way to the pin of the shackle, carrying away. It was an old shackle, but it "looked all right. ' - 1 ' ' To Mr. Gray : The cables and gear were inspected every April, by the Ma-rine-Department. . 'The- snip *.was on the beach altogether for about seven weeks. Se made many attempts to get the vessel off with' the gear available. Archibald M'lntyre, chicf ' officer of jh.e Himitangi, gave similar evidence to that of the previous witness. He noticed nothing the matter' with the anchor or cahle. He shackled the cable on the anchor in Wellington. tHe thought the pin must have come out of the shackle. Everything was done that could have been done under the circumstance*. To Mr. Gray : It was the rule on tho Himitangi for firemen to keep the anchor T/yatch. Tho firemen were steady; capable men. , Thomas Clarkson Sawyers,' second officer, said the vessel lost three anchors a month or two* before the stranding. The chain' carried away. It had parted a" number of times. - .The following witnesses 'were also examined : — J. H. Pre^eville, chief engineer; H. Hoblyn, A.A. and lamptrimmer; Arthur Calvert, surveyor of ships and Inspector of Machinery ; John Symons, fireman; Harold W. Foster, second officer in the P. and O. service, now on holiday; John M. Samson, manager of Chatham Islands Fishing Company; William E. Fuller, snipping manager, Levin and Co. ; and Archibald Walker, marine surveyor. In his evidence, A. Calvert aaid ho inspected the Himitangi on the 6th May, 1911, and found the cables in good condition. In Ids opinion, the reason for the breaking of the cable was that there was not sufficient cable out. In the^ course of his address, Mr. A. Gray eaid he was authorised by the chairman of directors of the Chatham Islands Fishing 'Company to cay that the company still retained confidence in Captain Cowan. CAPTAIN ABSOLVED. The Court, in ita judgment, absolved the captain of the Himitangi from any carelessness whatever; in fact, they were of opinion that he was careful in th© management of the steamer. Tho captain'B certificate was thereforo returned. The Court added that the captain in leaving • a nreman to take the anchor watch only followed the practice which had hitherto prevailed 6n the steamer. The two nautical as- ' eessors were strongly of the opinion that such a practicfe could not be allowed in future. Dr.' M'Arthur, S.M., held that the wqrd "seaman" in the • Act included "nreman." No order was made ac to costs.