THE CASE OF THE LYTTELTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8122, 19 March 1887, Page 5

THE CASE OF THE LYTTELTON.

[Per Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, March 18. The Lyttelton case was resumed today. W. J. Tennant, Secretary to the Timaru Harbour Board, was re-called, and produced the minute-book of the Board, and certain correspondence. He stated that nothing was charged for pilotage, and no special instructions were given to Captain Storm about towing tbe Lyttelton out. W. H. Lewn, one of the Wellington agents of the plaintiff, was examined merely as to the existonee of the Company. Captain Bendall, recalled, deposed that it would be more proper, before unmooring a vessel previous to getting under way, to see that tbe anchor was unshackled and ready for use. He did not think it prudent of the Grafton to start towing the ship until she was ahead of the ship. The Grafton should have been ahead of the ship before she let go from the red buoy. He did not consider that when the Grafton was at the red buoy and the Lyttelton at the chequered buoy that the vessels were in a proper position to start for sea.. It would all depend upon the steering of the tow what direction the vessels got into after starting in such a position. To enable the vessels to get into proper position, witness thought that a tug with a rope well forward on the side of the ship forward of her helm could easily get her into position. It

would certainly not be prudent to drop the anchor while the vessel had head-way on at all. The probable result of dropping anchor in shallow water was that the vessel would go over her anchor before the anchor was dropped. It should be ascertained that the vessel had stern-way on. He would not say that it would be safe to drop anchor before the vessel had commenced to have stern-way. Captain Bose, local manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, was examined as to the duties of pilots on getting vessels ready for towing, but the evidence was unimportant. From the drawing prepared by the diver, he thought the vessel must have had head-way on when the anchor was dropped. This closed the case for the prosecution, and the Court adjourned till ten to-morrow morning.