KAIAIA FOUNDERING

Evening Star, Issue 22383, 6 July 1936, Page 2

KAIAIA FOUNDERING

PROBABLY STRUCK SUBMERGED LOG FINDING OF NAUTICAL COURT [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 5. The view that the motor vessel Kaiaia was lost on March 25 when proceeding from Auckland to Taurauga through striking a submerged log or piece of timber and springing a leak which could not be checked by the use of pumps, is put forward in the report of die Nautical Court which inquired into the loss of the vessel. The report has been made to the Aliuister of Marine (the Hon. P. Fraser) by Mr Wyvern tvhlson, S.M., who presided at the inuiry, and it has the concurrence of Captain D. Bell, Captain E. W. Norton, and Mr E. R. Lane, who acted as assessors. * The report states that when the vessel left Auckland she was in good and seaworthy condition, was fully provided with life-saving appliances as required by law and was properly manned. The cargo consisted of general merchandise and petrol stowed in the hold, and 30 drums of petrol stowed on deck. The cargo was properly secured and the vessel properly loaded. “ The evidence is insufficient to find definitely the cause of the leak which resulted in the vessel sinking,” the report continues, “but the court is of the opinion that the vessel probably struck a submerged log or piece of timber when beating against the heavy sea and her forward timbers opened, causing her to leak too rapidly for the pumps to save her.” The loss of the shill was not atributable to a wrongful act or default of any peison. In an annex to the report it is stated that the theory regarding the cause of fclie sinking was put forward by members of the crow and the court agreed with them. There was a considerable amount of timber, driftwood, and logs on that part of the coast at the. time as a result of the scouring, of ; the rivers ami streams by a severe storm just previously. The court was cif the opinion that the master and crew behaved in every way in a proper manner in the circumstances.