TRAGEDY OF THE PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 116, 19 May 1931, Page 10

TRAGEDY OF THE PROGRESS

PART PLAYED BY ARAHURA

MARINE INQUIRY CONTINUED

Proceedings to-day in connection with the wreck of steamer Progress at Ohiro Bay on Ist May commenced with an quest on the four victims of the tragedy, William John Finch, cook, William Winton, a seaman, Thomas Simpson, the chief gineer, and Frank Lawton, the mate. ■ ■ ■■■;■./■ .. . ■ ■ "

. After formal evidence of identification had been given on Finch,-. Wiriton, and Lawton, Constable W. S. Brown said that when he arrived at the wreck at about 1.30 p.m., two of the crew, Simpson and Deggerholm, were still clinging to some rocks, near the wrecked vessel. Shortly afterwards a boat manned by fishermen put out to the assistance of the' two men on the rocks, and they succeeded in rescuing Deggerholm, but Simpson was washed offthe rocks and out of their reach. Ho was then alive and wearing a lifebelt. H© drifted, down the centre of the bay, and after, drifting, about.two hundred yards his head disappeared-. . Mr. E. Page, S.M., the president of the Marine Court, in his capacity as Coroner, then adjourned the inquest until the conclusion of the marine inquiry. • '■■.•■ In addition to the counsel who have already been mentioned, Mr. .H. J. V. James appeared to-day with Mr. S. J. Castle for' the Wellington Harbour Board. • Captain L." C. H. Wqrrall and Captain K. Cartner are;acting as assessors, with Mr. Page, Mr. F. W. Granger boing engineer assessor. ARAHURA SENDS A MESSAGE. The first witness to-day was William Arthur. Wildman, junior; master of the Arahura. He said that. when he approached the Progress the latter morsed a' message asking him to Bend, a wireless message1 to Captain Holm and ask for a tug. The Progress did not want the Arahura to stand by. Witness sent the following wireless message through the radio station at Wellington: "Captain Holm, Wellington. Progress lost propeller off Sinclair Head and requires a tug. Wildman." After this message had been acknowledged by the radio station, witness then morsed the Progress:;" We have wirelessed; can we dp anything more 'for you?'' to ■which ' the^ Progress replied: "No thanks." While these messages were passing, tho Arahura was circling around the Progress about two ships' lengths-off.. The-visibility was good, there, was a moderate swell, and. the wind wasi-inclined to increase a little bit. ' The Arahura stood-by until about 9,5 p.m., and ; then went slowly on toy wards Karori. '",' Mr« Prendeville:. "Why did you proceed slowly, Captain?" . ■■'■ • Witness: "I expected to get some message from Captain Holm." '■.■-•■ Caritain Wildman said that at 9.45 p.m.,'having received no message, he resumed his,normal speed. He did not anticipate'a gale. Mr A Prendeville: "Had you any doubts as to the. safety of the Progress When youileft her?" .-. Witness: "No, not when a tug was coming out." He had no hesitation in circling and.going inside the Progress in the position she then was. To fflxi : Watson, witness said that at '■ the time' he was alongside ; the Progress, and when he left her, he had no reason to expect the wind to freshen to gale force. '.' ■ ■ REASON FOE STANDING BY. : Mrl Mazengarb: "You apparently thought it might be desirablo to render assistance?" Witness:' '<To. stand by, I said." "For what reason?"—"We like to give assistance if we possibly can." Ho stood, by just in case the tug, did not; come out." :; '• .''..'.. : . ' "If the tug had not been • available you would have taken him in tow?"— "I would probably have got a message to take 'him, in tow." : "You did not expect when you left him that the tug would not arrive until after midnight?"—"l had no idea when the tug would arrive." He thought it would have been out by about; 11 o'clock. :••'■'■ • , "Captain Larsen told us yesterday that he expected' it would blow from tfie south 'like blazes'!"—" Well, perhaps he's a better judge of the weather than I am." ; (Laughter.) Sometimes they got bad weather in the. Strait ■without warning, and sometimes they did not. . ■■■.'•■■.'•■ .^ : '.., : "In any case you were available for salvage, and could have taken the ■"Progress in tow.if necessary1?I'—"Yes.'1 '—"Yes.' ' He had expected a reply from Captain Holm to.his wireless message. 1 Mr. Mazengarb: "You didn't expect a reply from the Harbour Board?"— "No." ■ , ■ '■■' ' . "What reply did you expect to receive?"—"l expected Captain Holm to reply that he was sending a tug imme-. .diately..?'.■"'■', V '. "'- , • ■ . . • Mr. Hay: "I am a-bit puzzled, captain, why you didn't send a further wireless message asking if they were getting a tug?"—"l took it they were bitsy. getting . the tug ready to get away1." : "You did not deem it necessary to send a further message asking whether a.tug was.coming or not?"—"No, I_did riot. The Progress was in communication with Beacon Hill." "Well, if she was, what was the reason for your slowing down for half-an-hour?" WAITING FOR A COMMUNICATION "I suppose I can please myself. I told you I was-waiting for a communication from1 Captain Holm." • '-'You made no definite offer to the Progress to tow her in?"—"I did not —simply to: stand by." In reply to further questions from Mr. Hay, witness said that sometimes in the Strait they expected a "blow" but did not get it.; "We expected one last night, and didn't get it," he said. He did not actually anticipate any bad weather that night. "Had you been in the Progress that night, would you have considered you i were safe?"—"l should have." "And for what reason?" —"Because there was a tug coming out." ' "I suggest, captain, you weren't very happy leaving the Progress?" —"You are never very happy leaving a man in distress, are you?" In reply to Mr. Walsh, who appears for the Seamen's Union, Captain Wildman said that there was a good sea running at 11.45 o'clock that night. . Mr. Walsh: "Did your thoughts return to those men lying out there on their own when that sea was running at 11.45?" —"I was in bed asleep." Asked whether he looked at his glass that night, witness replied: "It doesn't matter whether you look at it or not, you've got to go just the same." (Laughtear.) ■ ■•••.■■ Mr. Walsh:."How long do you expect 'It would take that tug to get out there?" —"Well, you are asking me something I don't ( know anything about." • Captain Worrall: "During the time yon -were manoeuvring around the-Pro-

A CALL NOT HEARD,

gress was Beacon. Hill available all that time' for morse?"—" Yes; visibility was good enough for morse." ■ •

SECOND MATE'B STOKY.

The second mate of the Progress, Kustaa Wilhelm Kanerva, said that he had heard Captain Copland's evidence, and he agreed with it all. "That's about all I know myself," he said. .'■.. Mr. Prendeville: "When, the Arahura circled you at 9 o'clock, had you any fear as to the position of the ship?" Witness: "No, not at that time." ; "When the tug reached you how close did she come?"—" Not very far away; about three ship's lengths." "Do you think she could have come closer to you?"—"I was hoping so." ; The witness was inclined to mumble, find after being asked several times by Mr. Page to speak up, his Worship, asked: ''Can't, you speak up ,as if you were calling out orders to your men V Mr. Treadwell: "I have never met such a bashful lot of sailors in my life.". : ' .-"■"- ■ ' : ■..■■.-: . The witness said that after the parting of: the cable the tug did not come near them till the morning. It might then havo come within a quarter of a mile, but witness did. not "notice".it signal. After the cables parted1 it would have been of no use to .lower the boats. They, would have, been broken up. There was too big a sea to launch them. '. .... Mr. Prendeville: "When did you think the ship's position became dangerous?"—" Well, there was n,o danger when she was riding broadside on to the sea." . . • . ■ "When did you first become, anxious?"—"ln the forenoon of the Ist, when-she,slewed round head on. I knew the cables!wouldn't last long after that.?'-.. ...... ■.-... ~ ."•■■ ■ , To Mr. Kirkcaldie, witness said that he had had the port anchor ready to drop, but had taken it In again about a quarter, of an hour before the tug came .up because he thought the tug was going to pick them up right away, and there would be no need for.the anchor. .They had the heaving ■ lines ready, .when. the. tug came up. . . , .

"After; the tug crossed our bow," said witness, ,"she seemecV'to pull up into, the wind, and they shouted; something, but we did not hear it.: After the tug had been there some time, those on tho Progress decided, to; float a line attached' to a buoy out. to the tug., They saw the tug packing up the buoy, ' 'and then, after a few.minutes, they saw the buoy thrown dbwn into the water again. There was good visibility. They thought that the tug had bentits own line on to the Progress's line. They then started to heave in, and found that the tug had bent a messenger on to1 the Progress's line. They put this oh to the winch, but they never sighted the .towing hawser before... the messenger parted. The tug at this time was about; three ship's lengths away. After that the tug went away, to windward, and did not return till daylight. . The Progress. floated out another line, and;this they• hauled in when the light burnt out. At v daylight the tug'approached, them again, and then went off to Wellington.. ■.' ; "In daylight, how far were you. off the land when the anchors parted?"— "About a mile." .' . • ■Mr; Watson: "Throughout the whole of that night did you agree > with, the course of action adopted by the master from time to time?"—" Yes.", "Did you at anytime up to the time the vessel struck disagree with any action of the master's or disapprove of it?"—"No.''•■,He,did not;feav danger until 9 o'clock in : the morning, when the ship slewed round into the/wind. She-then commenced to plunge and jerk:ori the cables., -There was no light on Beacon Hill unless, the1 morse lamp was working. • ":■'■'"'■' ,'-■ ; "When'"the tug was three or'four ship's lengths off, could, you see-, what manoeuvring she was ' doing?"— "Yes." •;'■•. s ; '.: -, " •'■' '".'■;.. "As far; as ■ the eye • could see, was there any signs of broken water due to.rocks under the water ?"—"Well, yoil could see the rocks in -the nioonlight Sticking up astern jutting out from Sinclair Head." ■ There was no; eigh of broken water flue ,to rocks unde;r the water. At the time the second line was floated out conditions were about the same, although the sea was making a bit.' ( ' : "'- ■" ■ ■•' : "From the boat could "you see that light burning'on the buoy?"—"Qh, yes;" "When daylight came did you expect the tug to come back to you and renew: operations';or not?"—"I did." '. '

WHEN THE TUG ARRIVED.

"When tho tug first arrived at midnight did you expect him to come close enough to : heave a line aboard?"—"l did, certainly." ' "Did you or did you riot expect at midnight, that he would go under your, stern on to the land side of you?"— "I can't say." -' ; . : ' : '•" "From your own observation at midnight and marine experience, was there anything to prevent the tug going to leeward of you?"—" No." j .To Mr.- Mazerigarb, witness said that he did not know a new tail shaft was ready for putting into the Progress. , Mr. Mazengarb: "When you were asked if .you approved of all he did, you didn't know of all ■ the messages he sent out?"—"I didn't follow them all." "Did you know of any message that was sent out that 'wasn't meant for Captain Holm?"—" Yes/the/ the message to the Arahura." He was not too sure about other messages. "When the tug actually did come ■ out towards you, didn't Beacon Hill have to give you instructions, as to what signal to put up?"—"I don't remember any signal like that."'.'Didn't Beacon Hill ask you to show a blue light?"—" The captain was attending to the signalling himself." :

COMMENCEMENT 01" THE DRAG.

"Was any blue light shown on the ship that night?"—-"I couldn't tell you tho exact time. I took it that it was to direct the tug towards us." He-did not have an anxiety until 9 o'clock in the morning. They did not drag until some time after the tug had left. He had seen the captain send a message to .the tug that the Progress was 'dragging. <■' ' ■ . / Mr. Mazengarb: "Wpte you dragging then?"—"l couldn't tell, you;" He had seen the tug send a message to Beacon Hill that the sea was rising and the Progress was dragging/This was about there hours before the tug left for Wellington.. ■ ■' Mr. Treadwell: "It might well be that the Toia was only a ship's length ahead of you when the rope parted?" —"I thought it was more than that."

"Evidence will be given that at one time the Toia was only fifty feet from you. If that were so, in; view of the state of tho weather, you will agree that she was running a grave

(Proceeding.)

risk?"—" Yes. I. suppose so, but she was more than fifty feet away." Distress signals were not flown while the tug: was there.' It would'not be possible to hear a man's voice more than one hundred feet. "The .Toia came sufficiently close for them to-think they, could shout a message to you?"—" Yes." THIS AFTERNOON'S PROCEEDINGS Continuing his evidence when the Court resumed this afternoon, Kanerva, in. anawer to Mr. Treadwell, said that it was impossible at night to tell with any degree of accuracy the. distance they would be from the shore. To Mr. James, witness said that as far as he knew the first message sent for a tug was by the Opawa. . '.'At the -time-you were trying to call up Beacon.Hill you can?t be sure that you, were .within Beacon Hill's vision?" —:"I coulSn't tell you." Mr. HayV"When the Toia approached you for.the first time, did she give any signal,.apart from the shouting of .the voices,- you couldn't hear?" —"I don't* remember. ".'<'.. ' '.. "There was no rexchange of morse signals as far as you- know?" —"No." "Did.you see the Toia try to float a line over to you?"—" One Of my men told'ine about'it, but I couldn't see it.''.'.. ".' .:..'-':-.' ." : "Might that have been throwing oil over?'V-"I couldn't say." ."Could, you give a rough idea of the time that elapsed between the time the tug arrived on the spot and your putting .a buoy over?"—" Approximately half an hour." During this time the tug was standing to windward of the Progress, and as far as witness knew/was not making any signals: The time'when the tug picked up the line until it snapped would be about a quarter of an hour. ~ "You are certain it was the messenger that: snapped, not the heaving line ?' '—''No,, it was. the messenger." ■ "When 'the second [ buoy was put ovgr was there any message sent from your ship to the: Toia to acquaint her of the fact?'.'—"l'm not sure, but I don't.'think there was." .They left the second.buoy out until its light' went.' A buoy light kept going: for. about two hours. "Just after daylight the deck cargo started; to shift, did it not?"—" Yes, some of the casks of beer started.to float as we were shipping seas." ■••". ' "And- all hands were' ordered on deck to make them fast? ''—" Yes." Distress signals were put up in the forenoon but he did not notice the time.' ■ 1 "Did it: occur to you that when the tug made no attempt to pick-up- your second line that: she considered your position was hopeless, and. you could not be-rescued?" ' ■ ■ ■ ' Mr. Page: "Does it matter what their idea was?" ' Mr. Hay: '•.'Perhaps it doesn't. 'I won*'t press that ■question." •

.In; last night's report,of the^inquiry it was stated that the master1 of tho Progress had received a message from the lightkeeper; at Pencarrow. This should have read the signalman at Beacon Hill. ■ At no stage was the Progress; in, communication with Pencarrow. '..'■■'■''.■■''■:.■. .'■■.■.'':.■■. .''■,•

The; report" of yesterday afternoon's proceedings appears oil page 14. .