FERRY DISASTER

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10476, 5 January 1928, Page 5

FERRY DISASTER

INQUIRY NE AR TNG END

COUNSEL ADDRESS COURT

(Received January 4. 9.55 p.m.) _ SYDNEY. .Jan. 4. At tile Oreyclfffe. inquiry, Mr. Manning:, counsel for -Sydney Ferries. Ltd., continuing his address, said if the 0 revel iff c was being overtaken, and if, in addition, the lateral distance between the ships was much narrower than the Tahiti people had said, and if in addition to that, the Tahiti was travelling at a speed of thirteen knots, then those aboard the Tahiti could not he treated merely as spectators of what happened. They were in the position of plices. All the evidence as to the changed course ot ihe G ret cliffe came from the Tahiti, and fell to the ground not on the evidence of independent witnesses, but on the evidence of witnesses from the Tahiti. l)r. Brissenden. counsel for the Union Steamship Company, addressing the Court., said if the ease for the Grey cl iff e ; was correct it amounted to a rase of manslaughter. it amounted to a ease almost of deli herate killing against the Tahiti, but the evidence showed that there were two skilled navigators who never previously had had an accident, on the bridge of the Tahiti, and there was no 'doubt they were keeping a careful look-out and knew their course, while for some reason the master of the -Greyelifio.had. Failed to see the Tahiti after she left Garden Island. Both obedience to the regulations < and careful seamanship demanded that ho should lmye done so In conclusion. Dr. Brissenden asked the Court to come to the conclusion that the collision was due to the master of the G revel die not keeping a good look-out. and in stnihoarding bis holm.—.T. A.