NAUTICAL INQUIRY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 27, 1 February 1929, Page 8

NAUTICAL INQUIRY

STRANDING OF PARERA

EVIDENCE OF THE MASTEIt

A nautical inquiry was opened this morning into the cause of the stranding of the Richardson Company's coastal steamer Parora, 550 tons gross, on Walker Rock, off Jackson's Head, Cook Strait, early on the morning of 9th December last. Mr. E. Page, S.M., presided, and with him as accessors were Captains Stringer and Cart-

Mr. E. K. Kirkealdic appeared for the master of the Parera and Mr. J. Prcndeville for the Marino Department.

Tho master of the ship, Percy Alfred Miles, said the Parera left Nelson for Lyttelton in ballast at 6.30 p.m. on Bth December. There was a light northerly blowing and there was also a haze over land; the sea was pretty smooth. The usual course was followed through the Pass. After leaving Okura ho reduced speed until ho picked up the Trench Pass lights. French Pass was cleared at 10.25 p.m., and the order was then given for full speed ahead. The' ship passed the Nine Pins light at 11.30 and another vessel just after midnight. Thero was no change in the weather conditions, and visibility was good. He could see the light clearly, and the sea was smooth. Towards 12.30 a.m. the Parera ran into a bank of fog, and he failed to pick up the Jacksoa Head beacon. The course' and speed were not al^ired. Ho thought he saw the flash of the beacon through tho fog about 21 points on tho bow, and the' second mate and witness kept a sharp look-out. Then what was believed to be a second flash was seen. An alteration was made in tho course, and within a few minutes of that the ship struck. From tho Nino Pins to Jackson's Head there was an error of three miles in the log. Mr. Prendeville: "Don't you consider you should have slackened speed when you couldn't, pick up tho Jnckson's Head light?"—"l reckoned I had another 10 minutes to run before coming abeam o.t' the light." Captain Miles added that the vessel was stranded at 'Walker Bode for four hours. When tho ship struck he kept the engines running, and all hands were ordered to stand by the boat stations. The tanks wore sounded, and when it was found that the ship was not making water the engines wore stopped. He did not see Jackson's Head light. To Mr. Kirkcaldie: Captain Miles said ho had had twclvo years' experience- as an officer and master in Cook Htrait. For four years ho had passed Walker Bock on an average of twice a week. With tho weather favourable the usual course for boats to tako coming from Nelson was between Walker Bock and Jackson's Head. In aswer to a question from Mti Page, witness said he thought the second flash that \yas observed was from the Jackson's Head light. Beplying to further questions, Captain Miles said that tho Parera ran into ; tho fog suddenly. Tho tide was with the ship when it left Nelson. Between tho Nino Pins and the Pass the log was found to bo running slow. (Proceeding.) j