FERRY DISASTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10478, 7 January 1928, Page 9

FERRY DISASTER.

COUNSEL’S, ADDRESSES CONCLUDED JUDGMENT TO BE DELIVERED TO-DAY

(United Press Assn. —Copyright,.) < (Received Jan. 6, 8.45 p.m!) SYDNEY, Jau. 6. ' Counsel’s addresses at the Greycliffe inquiry, have concluded, and judgment as to the causes of the collision will be delivered to-niorrpw. Mr Holman, counsel for the Commonwealth Director of addressing the court •fsqid that the evidence of the Tahiti’s personnel must tend to show that the Greyeliffe was almost in contact with the large vessel when.the double ring to stop was given to the Tahiti’,s'diigirie room. The Greycliffe must have been under the liner’s hows within fifteen seconds of any change of course. An analysis of the facts'showed that the Tahiti was already in dangerous proximity to the Terry bidere the latter made a turn if any. If the story of the change of course were to he accepted,it must be accounted for in one or two ways. One was that there were some change of course by Captain Barnes for some reason; the other was that there must have been an involuntaiy change caused by tin; boat wave of the Tahiti. The only other hypothesis was that the Tahiti deliberately ran the Greycliffe down. In reply to a submission by Mr Holman that the pilot on the Tahiti was determined to take the risk of a close shave and to take the risk of getting through by the narowest margin, Mr Justice Campbell interrupted, and said there was no question of any deliberate intention to take a risk. So far as he saw the situation, there was no position of a deliberate choice.,between a dangerous course and a safe one. He saw no reason to think that had come into the matter at all. “*■

Mr Holman concluded by submitting that the court should find that the Tahiti was travelling at an excessive speed Uut that proper steps were taken _on the liner after the collision —U.P.A.