A “COFFIN SHIP”?

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 February 1931, Page 2

A “COFFIN SHIP”?

SYDNEY DREDGE ENQUIRY

[by CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.]

SYDNEY, February/ 27

The seaworthiness of the Sydney Harbour Trust dredge “Nereus,” 33 years old, which was bought for £535, reconditioned for £4OO, and then resold by a private company to the Ulverstone (Tasmania) Harbour Board for £4,300, was inquired into by the Marine Court. The Nereus, en route to Tasmania, sank while in tiow on February 12 off Low Head. Captain Fitzpatrick and a member of the crew ( were drowned.

The evidence disclosed that engine, defects developed while the dredge was on the way to Tasmania. She steered badly and was leaking. Some members of the crew declined to continue the voyage. Captain Muir signed off at Eden and Captain Fitzpatrick took command for the- remainder of the trip. A navigation officer inspected the dredge at Jervis Bay and at Eden, and passed her as seaworthy. The case was adjourned. WRECKED LINER ELDERLY CAPTAIN BLAMED LONDON, February 26. The judgment of the Board of Trade inquiry into the loss of the liner Highland Hope on November 19 last off the coast of Portugal, states the loss of the ship was due to the failure of the master to navigate it in a proper seamanlike manner. His certificate is suspended for six months. The second officer was severely reprimanded for concealing the fact that he had brought the' deck scrap log ashore, subsequently destroying it, and he was fined £l2. The owners of the liner were not absolved from blame, because the master, who is 75 years old, was so old that he could not be expected to stand the physical strain of commanding so large a vessel.