LOSS OF KARU

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 25 March 1926, Page 5

LOSS OF KARU

SHIP SPRINGS A LEAK.

THE CAPTAIN’S STORY COURT OF INQUIRY OPENED. (by TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, March 24. The Court of Inquiry into the wreck of the Karu opened before Mr Cutten, S.M., and Captains Braidwood and Owens, who acted as assessors. Mr Meredith, the Crown solicitor, in opening, said that Thomas Halliday, who went as far as Hokianga in the Karu and then left her, had made some rather startling statements. He hqd made a statement, that while working below he had tried the plates with a penknife, and found them coated with rust; that'the plates .were so thin that he pushed ‘ his penknife through. He had an argument with the captain about payment for working bunkers and cargo, and he had used this as an. excuse for leaving the ship at Hokianga, but his real reason, he said, was . that he considered the ship was unsafe. Captain Tomlinson, surveyor of * ships, stated that when the Karu was in Auckland he inspected the foremast and life-saving appliances. He saw the survey certificates which were issued in New South. Wales in January, ■ which covered the current year. He had received no complaints from anyone about the vessel. There was no official inspection l of the hull, so far as he knew. .'

Captain Richmond, master .of the Karu, said that the vessel did not touch Whan gape bar when crossing, but in berthing touched a pile with the stern. An examination showed no damage. The timber cargo was stowed so that there was absolutely. no room for movement. The Karu was towed out, and when in the vicinity of the bar touched something once. Soundings were taken, and showed no sign of a leakage. The weather got bad, and he reduced speed at 8 o’clock and tprned the-ship over to the chief officer. A little later the second officer reported l that there was water in the hold. The speed; was- further reduced. The ship was then practically hove-to. The wind was blowing very hhrd, and the pumps could not cope with the > water. They got the lifeboats out, and he set a. course to run for shelter. About-' daylight the shin lost steering . wav.

.Continuing his evidence, Captain Richmond said: “I set her between the Pandora shoals and the mainland, as there was no chance of weathering Cape Maria van Diemen. The water was now running in freely and I made all preparations for abandoning the ship. I still hugged the coast, in the hope of getting round the cape, as the sliiii was sailing about three knots. When about two and a half miles off the coast it was necessary to come to a decision whether we would go ' in with the ship or lifeboats., A lifeboat was got ready for launching, the two mates, a seaman, and myself remaining on deck till the others of the crew were dropped into the boat. Then we dived overboard and were -pulled 'into the boat. On the way to the - shore the boat was turned end over' end and we had lo do the best for ourselves.' ’

Captaiu Richmond was examined at length by Mr. Selwyn Mays, who appeared for the relatives of the deceased. At one stage the chairman said they had listened for twenty minutes and had' a. few words from the' witness and! all the rest from Mr. Mays. Asked why he continued, to sound the vessel for hours after the hump, witness said he was following the ordinary precaution of the sea. Asked what caused the wreck, the witness said the possibility of having struck the bar, wreckage, or a sunken log, coupled with very' heavy .weather. The only evidence of a bump was the touching on the bar. Herbert' Alexander Hulford -said' he noticed a single light, bump as the Kara negotiated the bar. *.>V;, Oscar A. Varjtnen, A. 8., said he had put cement filling in the fore part of the ship. Witness had not known of any leakage in the hull. ;Be had felt three bumps when the Kara crossed the bail/ The second bump was very heavy. '* Witness said the cement filling had been applied to a portion of the hull in Australia. This was because a pole had struck the plates and started a rivet, causing a leak. Two of the men had gone in ■ swimming to. locate, the leak. - The fault was made good at Auckland and" the cement was removed*. ' ' The inquiry was adjourned. • ..