VERDICT IN THE TARARUA i WRECK CASE. Dunedin, June 3. '

Grey River Argus, Volume XXIV, Issue 3983, 4 June 1881, Page 2

VERDICT IN THE TARARUA i WRECK CASE. Dunedin, June 3. '

Judgment in the Tararua enquiry was given to day. The Court found that the wreck and lobs of life were principally caused through the failure of Captain Garrard to ascertain at 4 a.m. on 29th April the correct position of the ship, when the simple use of the lead would have told him the distance from shore ; that the course in which the Tararua was steered from 1,30 to 4, assuming that the compasses were magnetically correct, was an insecure course, and therefore improper, especially as a heavy swell and ebb tide tended to set the vessel in shore ; that at 4.25 when the second officer first called the captain's attention to the noise of breakers, the vessel was off Slope Point, and in dangerous proxmity thereto, but the captain believed her to be off Waipapa Point ; that it is to be regretted that the second officer did not exercise the power which he had to Btop the engines if he found the ship in imminent danger, when for the second time he fancied he heard breakers ; but the Court could not come to the conclusion that his not doing so was a negligent omission, as it was reasonable for him to suppose that the captain had ascertained the position of the ship at 4 a.m., and he might naturally be impressed with the idea that the hearing of breakers oould only be fancy ; and he took the action he did to report to the captain in the terms of his orders. At the same time they were of opinion that the leaving of the bridge at any time by the officer in charge of deck when the ship was underway is fraught with extreme danger, and that Captain Garrard's orders to his officerß to call him personally were imprudent in their opinion. The immediate cause of the wreck and loss of life was the negligent failure of the seaman Weston to keep a proper look out ; that after the vessel struck and filled the captain committed an error of judgment in not placing his passengers in the boats. The Court considered that there were sufficient boats and life buoys in the Tararua, but thought many lives would have been saved had the life belts been available for the passengers and crew. In reference to the management of the boats, they thought the loss of the first officer's boat might have been avoided by more skilful management ; but, although censuring Lindsay for his lack of skill, they were not disposed to say the casualty resulting therefrom was caused by his wrongful act or default. They thjught assistance should have been rendered from - the Bluff or Invercargill when the intimation was first received of the accident, for no passenger vessel on a rock could be considered in other than a dangerous position. Astonishment was expressed that the officers of the Tararua were ignorant of the deviations of the compasses, but in view of the peculiar discipline on board, the Court were not disposed to say to what degree, if any, the ignorance was attributable to their own neglect. The certificates of both officers were then returned. In conclusion, the Court made the following recommendations : — (1) That a light is urgently required in the neighborhood of Waipapapa Point. (2) That all passenger vessels trading in New Zealand waters be compelled to carry life belts for the maximum number of passengers and crew. (2) That a regulation bo made compelling exercise in the management of boats at stated intervals, In answer to a question, the Court said that, as the captain had lost his life, there was no one against whom an order for costs could be made.