WRECK OF MANUKA

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 8 January 1930, Page 5

WRECK OF MANUKA

DANGER NOT SUSPECTED CAPTAIN CONTINUES EVIDENCE LAST TO LEAVE THE SHIP. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) DUNEDIN, Jan. 7. ■ The nautical inquiry into the ivrecl-: of the Manuka at The Nuggets was continued to-day before the Magis trate, Mr. H. W. Bundle, Avith Captains Worrall and Stringer a.s assessors. The CroAA-n solicitor, Mr. F. B. Adams, represented the Marine Department, Mr. A. B. F, Haggitt the Union Company, Mr. A. O. Hanlon Captain Ross Clark and Cecil Bivens Oarlyon, third officer of the ManukaTlie questions for decision were: (1) Whether the striking and subsequent loss of the vessel were due to the negligence of Captain Boss Clark. (2) Whether Cecil Rivers Carlyon, officer in charge of the ship at the time of striking, was negligent or <-onitributed to the casualty. (3) The cause of the casualty. (4) Whether proper steps were taken after the casualty for the safety of the lives of the passengers and crew. The statement of the case avus that the Manuka left Bluff shortly after

5 o’clock on December 16 for Dunedin. The usual courses were steered, a fixed position being obtained off Wiapapa Point. Later land Avas observed in the vicinity of Slope Point, the visibility being then about four miles, later decreasing someAvliat, but at no time did it appear to be less than a mile. At 10.53 the ship struck the rocks off Long Point. Orders Avere immediately given for the boats to be got out and for the embarkation of the passengers and ere Av. This was successfully accomplished by about 1 a.m. on December 17. At daylight all members of the ship’s company and the passengers were safely landed. Continuing his evidence (the earlier portion of which has already been reported), Captain Boss Clark, master of the Manuka, said that according to the chart before the Court lie should have passed Long Point about live miles off. He expected from experience to pass about a mile to two miles from the position on the chart. When marking the chart he made no allowance, for the current, as he had plenty of searoom.

No currents but the tide were betAveen Bluff and WaipaAva, according to the book “The NeAv Zealand Pilot.” There Avas a current between Cape Saunders and Nugget Point of about one knot, running north. From* the statement in the Pilot he would expect to find the current south of the Nuggets, and previously had observed the effect of the current as far south as Chasland’s Mistake. The ocean currents A’aried and, Avhere they had a current floAving in one way one day they might find it floAving another wavnext day. It Avas not his experience that the same thing applied to this coast.

The Avind had been south-east with not much sea on the night of the wreck. At eight o’clock it Avas a fresh south-east breeze, which decreased to moderate, then light. He Avoukl not expect it to have any appreciable effect on his course. He did not count on current at all, and when the current was setting the ship out of danger any master would give it the benefit of the doubt and have that much in hand. The actual bearings showed that he Avas seven miles back and four and a-lialf to five miles inshore from the set course. That Avas a serious deviation. The abnormal westerly set Avould be at least twice the strength of the northerly and easterly set he had previously experi-

enced. It did not occur to him that there might be a set inshore that night, but he allowed to be five miles off shore

Witness said it seemed almost impossible that the ship could expect such a set in such a short distance of about 32 miles. He expected that the tide might have put him a mile back, and perhaps a quarter of a mile to the north of his set course. He considered the visibility not so low that it was necessary to take soundings. The wreck might possibly* or would probably, have been avoided had frequent soundings been taken and the speed reduced.

SOUND AND SEAWORTHY. Captain Ross Clark said 1 to Air Hag git-t tnat the vessel was absolute© sound and seaworthy. To Mr Stringer he said the vesse was in good trim for steering. To Air Hanlon he said he had beer on the coast as a master for eigh.l years and for another six to eight year* as an officer. Practically the whok time as a master he had been trading between Dunedin and Bluff and he had never discovered any set other thar a northerly one on the eoas.t after leaving Chaslands. On the night of the wreck he had had no. drink. As far as the officers were concerned there could be jio suggestion they had any drink. The ship had two compasses, one on I the bridge and one at the wheel. All care was taken at convenient, opportunities to discover errors in the compasses. From Ins experience by would say lie was justified in relying on a standard compass. His chart had been corrected in writing right up to date. The helmsmen on duty were capable and reliable men. The officers under him were also capable, reliable and sober men. It was. the duty of the officer on watch to look at the compass to se© if the helmsman was steering the course set. When he was on the .bridge that night lie frequently looked at the compass to see that the course was •being maintained. After leaving Bluff, continued' the captain, he set the usual courses adopted by him between Bluff and Wai■papa. He had navigated the Manuka

between ‘Bluff and Dunedin ten to twelve times. After leaving Waipapa he set the courses usually set lor a night trip. In the daytime when visibility was .good lie would iset a course nearer to the land. At night lie usually iset a course about six degrees further out. In Iris opinion that left a reasonable and proper margin of safety. Having set those courses he had no reason to suspect danger, and said that having regard to the fact that visibility was not less than a mile all round lie took two bearings at "YVaipapa.

SOUNDINGS ON THE CHART. The courses given in court were., undoubtedly those set on the night of the wreck, andl had there been no untoward agency/ lie should have maintained a course five miles from the' land. Pie could think of no internal agency that would cause the accident. He was satisfied the courses we;e correctly set and correctly steered. He was thinking when the ship struck that he Avould pick up the Nuggets light and, considering he had a fixed .position off Waipapa. thought that to pass, five

miles off Long Point was a prudent and safe course. As he was running the courses parallel with the coast, not towards it, he did not think it necessary to take soundings.. The line of soundings in the chart, were irregular and ranged from 29 to 44 fathoms, but there was nothing to show in Tautauku Bay whether the depths were more or less than those shown further out. There were no soundings less than four and a-half miles from the centre of Tautapu Bay. and nothing nearer than, two miles from long Point. For all the chart showed there might be deep water all the way from Ohaslands to Long Point. Therefore, in hi® judgment it was not necessary to take soundings. He had never heard the theory that ±lie line of sounding nearest the coast was. to be taken as a safety line. ©

LAST TO' LEAVE. After the ship struck everything was done that could be done to save the lives, of those on his ship—and. every life was .saved. The visibility for those in the boats, could not have been less than a mile and aDialf. The boats, were using electric torches, ais a means of keeping together. He was actually the last to leave the ship, but really five or six jumped together. He considered it prudent to wait till daylight to take the boats in, as they might have been dashed on the rooks. There was only l one landing place in the vicinity and ' that was the one whereat they landed. From the time lie reached the bridge everything he could think of was done to try to save the ship. He thought that by stopping the jiort engine the vessel would swing more quickly. He kept the starboard engine going astern till tlie ship .struck hard. The vessel must have swung not less than three points, probably more, after stopping the port engine. They were not travelling in a fog., although there was fog over the land. To Air Adams witness said he could say that there was fog over Long Point, but could not say whether there was fog over any other part of the land. Had he been keeping outside the 40 fathoms soundings he could not possibly have run on to the point, assuming, of oour.se', that there was no soundings. of 40 fathoms within tile line of soundings on the chart. Evidence in corroboration of the captain’s statement was given- by 0. R. Carlyon (third officer) and Alex Allen (first officer), and the inquiry was adjourned till the following • morning.