'STEER FOR THE LIGHT'

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 10, 12 July 1922, Page 6

'STEER FOR THE LIGHT'

THE RONA'S STRANDING! NAUTICAL INQUIRY OPENED EVIDENCE; OF THE CAPTAIN. (II TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIITION.. AUCKLAND, This Day. The Nautical Court of Inquiry into the stranding of the Rona on Flat Rock opened this morning. James Alan Wallis, master of the j Rona, stated in evidence that at 10 a.m. on 28th June, he sighted the Poor Knights; and passed four miles west of the Little Barrier. The weather conditions were good. Fiat Rock was sighted by. the third officer about 6 p.m. Witness went on the bridge and saw the light a-quarter of a point on the starboard bow, bearing south three-quarters east. The Rona was doing about ten knots, and was about seven or eight miles off the light. Witness then brought the light right ahead. The chief officer was on the bridge with him. About 6.15 p.m. lie gave the ma_t at the wheel the order to bring the light right ahead. The custom was to steer straight for Flat Rock till the ship was about a mile or a mile and a-half off, and then edge the ship inside. That night the i land about was discernible, but there | was no outlined point to take bearings! from to the westward. It was largely a matter of guesswork to arrive at the moment of the turning-point, Tho witness told the mate to steer for the light, and left the bridge. Cross-examined, the witness said that when he left the bridge he left an experienced officer there, There seemed to be absolutely nothing to worry about. He was changing to warmer clothing in his room, when the mate called out asking whether he should pass inside or outside of the light, and he replied, "Inside as usual." He was putting on his overcoat to go on the bridge when the vessel sfa-uck. "I HAVE LET YOU DOWN." j Captain Wallis continued that he said to the mate: "My God, what have you done?" and the mate replied: "We have hit Flat Rock. You put your trust in me, and I have let you down," or words to that effect. Witness then ordered the. boats to be swung out, and took other measures to safeguard the lives of those on board. I

Mr. Mays, counsel for the Marine Department: "The mate says he called to you when he thought he was about a mile from the light. Can you account for him being a mile ahead of where he thought he was?" Witness: "He miscalculated his distance,. I suppose.''. Witness added that he was perfectly justified in leaving, the bridge when he did. . Asked how did the mate come to run on the rock, the witness replied that it was incomprehensible. The lights of a trawler would certainly not deceive ] him; he could not have mistaken its two lights. In reply to a question, the witness said the look-out man on the forecastle-head told him he. called out ; before the Rona struck, and asked : "Was there anybody on the bridge, sir?" The man added that he called out a warning when they were pretty close up to the rock. CHIEF OFFICER'S EVIDENCE, Cyril Talbert Grindley, chief officer of the Rona, Btated in evidence that about 6 p.m. he relieved the third officer on the bridge. Captain Wallis followed him on to the bridge, and the third officer passed the' word -" same course," and said he had raised the Flat Rock light slightly on the starboard bow. Before the captain went below, he told witness to head for the light. Witness steadied the ship on her course. Witness entered the chart-room on the bridge for a couple of minutes at half-past 6, to enter the order in the log-book. The ship struck at 6.47. He had called down to the master a couple of minutes before that, asking, "Are you goiiig inside?" and the master replied, " Yes, the same as usual." He was more than ordinarily careful, but that was not owing to the weather conditions.