A HARBOUR COLLISION

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 59, 7 September 1917, Page 3

A HARBOUR COLLISION

MARINE ENQUIRY RESUMED,

The Magisterial enquiry into the collision in Wellington Harbour on 7th August last between the Union Company's ,tug Terawhiti and the coastal steamer Invercargill, was resumed at the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M., presided, and the nautical assessors were Captains G. Lambert and F. Black. Mr. V. R. Meredith, of the Crown Law Office, represented the Marino Department, Mr. T. M. Wilford the Union Company and Captain Fowler of the Terawhiti, and- Mr. M. Myers appeared for Captain Wahlstrona, master of the Invercargill. Before proceeding, Mr. Meredith suggested thp,t the Court should view the basin in which the collision occurred. An inspection of the basin, he asserted, gave quite a different impression to that conveyed by the plan.

Mr. Wilford invited the Court to tak» a trip on the Teiuwhiti, following the exact course taken by the Terawhiti just prior to the collision. Mr. Wilford stated that it would be seen ""that the basin was much smaller than it appeared on the plan. Mr. Myers strongly objected to the acceptance of Mr. Wilford's invitation, asserting that it would be quite unfair. The same conditions could not be reproduced, and the Court was liable to obtain a one-sided etory. The Court decided to hear the remainder of the evidence before making any inspection as suggested. Witnesses were called by both Mr. Wilford and Mr. Myers, and the hearing of the evidence concluded at about 6 o'clock. The Court reserved its decision.