PORT BOWEN INQUIRY

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 November 1939, Page 5

PORT BOWEN INQUIRY

COURT RESERVES DECISION

[pee press association.}

WELLINGTON, November 2. After hearing evidence to-day the Court of Inquiry appointed to ascertain the cause of the overseas steamer Port Bowen stranding on Castlecliff beach, Wanganui,'on July 19, returned the certificate of the master, Captain F. W. Bailey. The. Court intimated that though it would take time to consider the evidence, the case was not one where the master’s certificate should be either suspended or cancelled. After Captain Bailey had given evidence (published in the “Star” yesterday),’the evidence- of officers of the Port Bowen and Wanganui Harbour officials was taken. The third engineer, Ronald Oliphant, who was on duty when the vesstl stranded, said he went on watch at midnight, and before, going below noticed that the Wanganui town lights appeared to be a good distance away. When he felt a bump 14 minutes later he remarked to the fourth engineer that he did not think the vessel could have grounded, because the shore lights were a good distance off. Vessels were constantly using the port of Wanganui, day and night, and since he had been there, a period of 10 years, no complaints had been received about the navigation lights, said the harbourmaster, Captain Frederick George Taylor. He said he was not on duty when the Port Bowen stranded: hut the station log book (produced) would' show the weather at the time. The log entry, made at midnight, showed that there was a moderate south-easterly breeze, and the sea on the bar was moderate to rough. The weather was overcast but clear. A chart showing the approximate hearings of the different lights was also produced. Wigham oil lamps were located at the end of the north and south moles, and witness added' that he had never known them to show orange. They were visible from the shore, and were always red. The lamps were attended to once a month, more often if necessary.

NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT LIGHTS

“I have never heard of any complaints about these lights since I have been in Wanganui,” said witness, who added that when he was called about. 1.15 a.m., there was a very light north-easterly wind. The weather at the time was cloudy, but clear and fine on the land'. High water was at 11.16 p.m„ and the tide was higher that night than average. The first thing he noticed when he came on duty was that the lights were in good ord-

A statement by Captain J. Knox, who was’not called as 'a. witness but was on duty when the Port BoWeh stranded, was produced. Captain Knox said he saw the Port Bowen approaching, and as was customary When a vessel was making for the anchorage in the roadstead, he switched on the red beacon lights. Captain Taylor explained that a vessel approaching the roadsteac anchorage would take the rear beacon in line with the north mole light, and at the. intersection of that line and the green beacon line would. find an anchorage. He had never experienced any case where a ship approaching the anchorage had encountered difficulty. “I do not know anything about the chief officer’s statement, that, one of the green Ijights wa(s faulty,” said Captain Taylor, under cross-examina-tion. Mr Prendeville said he did not propose to address the Court. The two questions to be answered were: What was the cause of the grounding, and was the grounding due to any act or omission on the part of the master. Mr. Kircaldie said he was speaking for a man with 2S years' experience at sea. The number of cases where masters were held blameworthy was so few that it spoke' highly of the calibre of. the men in charge of ships. The Port Bowen was a well-run and well equipped ship.. There was no question of any lack of discipline, and there was a very strong distinction between honest mistakes and culpability. In the present case the Port Bowen was within an ace of getting off. It only touched some distance abaft the beam, and with any luck at all should have swung round and got deal.