GREYCLIFFE INQUIRY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 5, 7 January 1928, Page 13

GREYCLIFFE INQUIRY

DECISION TO-DAY SUBMISSIONS OF COUNSEL. (United Press Association.—Copyright.) SYDNEY, 6th January. Counsel's addresses at the Greycliffc inquiry were concluded to-day, and judgment as to the causes of the collision will be delivered to-morrow. Mr. Holman, counsel for the Commonwealth Director of Navigation, addressing the Court, said the evidence of the Tahiti's personnel tended to show that the Greycliffe was almost in contact with the larger vessel when a double ring to stop was given to the Tahiti's engine-room. .The Greycliffe must have been .under the liner's bows within fifteen seconds of any change of the course. An analysis of the facts showed that the Tahiti waß already in dangerous proximity to the ferry steamer before the latter made a turn, if an/. If the story of the change of course were to be accepted, it must be accounted for in one or two ways. One was that there was some change of course by Captain Barnes for some reason. Tho other was that there must have been an involuntary change of course caused by the bow wave of the Tahiti. The only other hypothesis was that the Tahiti deliberately ran the Greycliffe down. In reply to a submission by Mr. Holman that the pilot on the Tahiti was determined to take the risk of a close shave, to take the risk of getting through by tho narrowest margin, Mr. Justice Campbell interrupted and said that there was no question of deliberate intention to take the risk. So far as he saw the situation, there was no position of deliberate choice between a dangerous course and a safe one. He saw no reason to think that had come into tho matter at all. Mr. Holman concluded by submitting that the Court would find that the Tahiti was travelling at an excessive speed, but proper steps were taken on the liner after the collision.