COLLISION IN ROADSTEAD

Evening Star, Issue 23553, 17 April 1940, Page 8

COLLISION IN ROADSTEAD

LIGHTER AHD EXPLOSIVE VESSEL EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY [Per United Press Association.]

NAPIER, April 17. Mr J. Miller, S.M., Captain H. Worrall, and Captain George Williamson sat as a board of inquiry into the collision in the Ahuriri roadstead on January 31 last of the lighter Koutunui andi the explosive vessel Miro. Mr J. H. Prendeville appeared for the department, Mr L. W. Willis for the owners of the Koutunui and Captain M'Nab, Mr A. H. Cooper, of Auckland, for the Miro Company and Captain Monaghan, Mr G. B. Amyes for the Harbour Board. Captain Haroldson, of the Koau, said the lights of the Miro were fairly dull and difficult to pick up on account of the background. The Miro was not anchored in a safe position. Captain M'Lachlan, the harour master, said the Miro could not anchor within a mile of the shore. The Miro was to have berthed, but did not answer a signal. She appeared! to be safe where she was. It was blowing half a gale, but if a iproper look-out had been kept there would have been no danger. Captain M'Nab, of the Koutunui, said that he first saw the lighted mast of the Miro 12ft away. Up till then he had only seen a white light, which he thought was on a launch going into the port. He tried to avoid a collision, but failed. He was doing 6J knots. Had the Miro’s light been set properly he could not have missed them. Further evidence was heard this afternoon.