WOODEN VESSELS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1937, Page 10

WOODEN VESSELS

"INADEQUATE" SURVEY

ALLEGATION AT INQUIRY

LOSS OF THE RANGI

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, February 26.

An allegation that the method of the Marine Department in respect of the surveying.of a wooden ship was inadequate and that further disasters would occur if a change were not made, was made by the representative of the Federated Seamen's Union, Mr. F. P. Walsh, when the sitting of the Nautical Court of Inquiry which is investigating the loss of the scow Rangi was resumed. The hull of che Rangi is to oe brought to Auckland and hauled up on a slip to enable the Court to examine the fastenings of the hull.

The hearing of evidence was completed, and counsel and representatives of the various interests addressed the Court. The sitting was adjourned to enable the hull to be brought to Auckland.

Mr. Walsh sought the opinion of the Court as to whether he should call evidence on the subject of life-saving equipment carried on scows in general. He had had an inspection made of scows in Auckland, and had evidence to call.

Mr. McKean said that if there were shortcomings they should be communicated to the Department in another way. It was not fair, nor was it helpful, to call such evidence. Mr. Walsh: My submission is that the Department is not doing its job. Mr. Foden: We were told yesterday that surprise inspections were not made. Mr. Walsh: Well, why not? .. John Butler .Lusk. secretary of the Leyland-O'Brien Timber Company, - Ltd., said the master had full authority in connection.with the manning of the scow. He understood that when the Rangi left for Auckland she carried 79 ' pine logs. She was not insured. ■ Mr. -Walsh: Evidence has shown that there was a passenger on her. Did the master have authority to carry passengers?— Not that I know of. ; In reply to Mr. Moody, witness said he would presume that the master had complied with all requirements. VESSEL NOT OVERLOADED. Mr. Moody said it was not suggested there was any question of overloading or improper loading, or that Captain Petersen was anything but a fully-com-petent and experienced seaman, and that he did everything to save his ship. .Further, he submitted the owners had not only complied with the regulations but had never begrudged any additional money outside tin legal require- ; ments to make the vessel in good order.

"It seems to me one of those regrettable occurrences that must be put down to an act of God and the perils of the sea," Mr. Moody added. There was no reason why the unfortunate owners or the late Captain Petersen should be used as a buffer between other interested parties. Discussing the methods of survey, the only voice that could have given full evidence was the voice that was silent, that of Captain Petersen.

Mr. Goulding said that as far as any suggestions that might be made to throw any further burden on the scow owners were concerned the Court should not ,make any definite recommendations unless the owners had an opportunity of presenting their case to the Department. He considered the Court should see some scows and satisfy itself concerning the condition of the fastenings concerning which evidence had been given.

■■ In his address, Mr. Walsh said that on the evidence it would appear that the Rangi was not. overloaded. He submitted that the lifeboat was not equipped with the apparatus required by the law, there being no food, fresh water, distress signals, mast, sail, sea anchor, or oil bag on board, and only two oars, and that it was therefore impossible to improvise any kind of sea anchor. The lifeboat capsized and only the lad Mason was able to cling to the boat until she was washed ashore. WEAKNESS IN STRUCTURE? Two questions were whether water entered from the deck openings, cabin doors, or ventilators, or whether it entered from below the water line, Mr. Walsh continued. He submitted that the cause of the disaster was water entering from below the water line. Evidence showed that the fastenings had corroded and this caused a weakness in the structure, of the vessel. As a result there was a- leak when a heavy sea was encountered. The evidence showed that the scow in a following sea was at her best and did not take water on board.

■; "I submit she was not in good and seaworthy condition to justify the issuing of a survey certificate," Mr. Walsh said. He claimed that the surveyor, owing to the method of the Department, was unable to ascertain whether she was in good and seaworthy condition. The vessel should have been stripped and her fastenings examined. In view of the evidence he claimed that the Department was not entitled to issue for the vessel a seaworthiness certificate.

' "I submit this wreck clearly shows the present method of the Marine Department in respect of the survey of wooden ships is totally inadequate," he said. "I go further and say that the Department's officers responsible for the methods of survey can be held responsible for the deaths of these four people." SIX RECOMMENDATIONS. The recommendations by Mr. Walsh were: (1) That all trading vessels should be required to take out articles of agreement; (2) that all seagoing ships should be required to carry wireless equipment; (3) that the survey of wooden ships should be under the supervision of nautical surveyors, assisted by competent shipwrights; (4) that the Marine Department should take steps to prevent unlicensed ships from carrying passengers; (5) that the Department should take precautions to see that the regulations were carried out in respect of life-saving appliances and lifeboat equipment by means of surprise inspections; (6) that all lifeboats irrespective of class or size of the ship should be fitted with buoyancy tanks. Mr. Foden said it seemed that Mr. Walsh had set out to make the Department a kind of Aunt Sally, and It? did not intend to reply in detail to his extravagant statements. It seemed that if the fastenings had worn as mentioned some method should be devjsed of inspecting them, and suggestions might be made as to when they should be renewed.

Mr. McKeen said that was a matter for investigation by the Department. "It may be that after an inspection you will be able to suggest an improvement," Mr. Foden said. "I am at one with Mr. Walsh in connection with improving methods to save life at sea."