LOSS OF SCOW

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 47, 25 February 1937, Page 15

LOSS OF SCOW

INQUIRY OPENED

'NO INHERENT WEAKNESSES'

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, February 24,

The circumstances under which four members of the crew of the Auckland scow Rangi lost their lives when the vessel foundered in a violent storm at the eastern entrance to Hauraki Gulf on the night of January 14 were' investigated when the hearing of evidence by a nautical inquiry was commenced in the Magistrate's Court today. Only two of the six people on board survived the wreck, one being the ship's boy and the other a school-; boy who was the guest of the master,; Captain Petersen.

Mr. W. R. McKeen, S.M., presided, and the assessors .appointed by the Minister of Marine, were Captain Sorenson, Captain Jensen, and Mr. T., F. Anderson. Mr. Allan Moody appeared for the owners of the scow, the: Leyland-O'Brien Timber Co., and Mr. Goulding for the Scow Owners' Association. The Federated Seamen's Union was represented by the president, Mr. F. P. Walsh, while the proceedings were conducted on behalf of the Marine Department by Mr. N. A. Foden, of Wellington. The appointment of Mr. Anderson, who is secretary of the Auckland Seamen's Union, was strongly criticised by counsel at the opening of the hear-; ing, when Messrs. Moody and Goulding both entered formal objections. One of the two survivors, John William Mason, ship's boy on the scow, gave evidence regarding the founder-; ing of the vessel. A schoolboy, Donald William Woodroffe, aged 14, who was the guest of Captain Petersen on the : - Rangi's ill-fated voyage, related a similar story of the foundering. The master of the scow Altair, Captain J. D. Bell, said he sighted the' Rangi when it was off Rakino Island., In the case of the Altair the sails had been blown out in what he described as an exceptionally heavy gale, and he was forced to rely on the engine. ; Mr. Walsh: In spite of, being in a well-found and seaworthy vessel you were unable to go to the Rangi's. assistance? ■ Captain Bell: Yes;.it was impossible for any vessel. Could wireless have been of any assistance?— The Rangi would not have sent out distress signals until the last half-hour, when the advantage would not have been considerable. "UNFORTUNATE EVENTS." Are you aware that four scows have been wrecked within the vicinity of Auckland during the last nine months? —Yes, it is just a cycle of unfortunate events. 'The same- has happened in Wellington in the case of larger steamships. ... The master of the Northern Company's Rangitoto, Captain Peart, said: that on the day'of-the Rangi's foundering a heavy gale was blowing and he had found it necessary to anchor in' Cabbage Bay. . l; Evidence was given by a number of witnesses as to repairs effected to the1 Rangi since last survey, one stating that an examination of the wreckage of the scow had revealed no inherent weaknesses in the fastenings. This witness regarded the Rangi as one of the best-founded scows in Auckland and, one that had always been well com-, missioned.

Inspection of portion of the hull that grounded at Campbell's Bay was detailed by another shipwright, who said that in his opinion tlje Rangi got into' an awkward position, was severely buffeted, and sprang a serious leak, event-; ually collapsing. >

The hearing was adjourned until tomorrow.