THE WAKATIPU – LAIRA COLLISION

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11555, 16 April 1898, Page 5

THE WAKATIPU - LAIRA COLLISION

TPbr Press Association.] DUNEDIN, April 15,

The inquiry into the Wakatipu-Laira collision was continued to-day. Some discussion took place as to calling evidence which the Collector of Customs did not nropose to put forward, in the course of which Mr Hosking said that he was prepared, on behalf of the underwriters, to formulate a charge. Mr Chamberlain said he thought that it was for him to formulate a charge. It was agreed to hear the evidence. Captain Loudon, signal-master at the Heads, said that the Wakatipnwas abreast of the lighthouse at the Heads exactly at nine o’clock. Captain Moir, assistant harbour-master, said that the steamer passed Fort Chalmers at 9.30, the tide-gauge registering 3ft. Captain Thomson, Lloyds’ surveyor and formerly harbour-master, was of opinion that it was a mistake for big steamers to come up as the Wakatipu did on the first half of the flood. There was more need for caution if the vessel was a bad steerer. The port anchor was the one to let go provided there was enough water for her to go over it. The effect of going full: speed astern with a right-handed screw and the helm hard astarboard would be to bring the steamer across the channel with her bow pointing to the wharf. If the Wakatipu passed Port Chalmers at 9.26, and arrived as stated, it would be a record passage. To Mr Macgregor: Witness said he did not think that the berths occupied by Canterbury and Laira at the end of the wharf were safe. The entrance to the basin was materially narrowed, making navigation there difficult and dangerous. Vessels had been berthed there for ten years, and he only knew of one accident, when the Ohau ran into the Agnes Lilian.

Captain M’Callum, harbour-master; gave evidence that he saw the Wakatipu coming un and thought that she was travelling about four knots. The Victoria Wharf was not an unsafe place to berth ships. The Agnes Lilian was in a lower berth. He bad heard casually of only one complaint about the difficulty of getting into the steamers’ basin, and in that case the captain had not come at the proper time of the tide. If Captain Smith was aware of the steering qualities of the Wakatipu with the wind on the quarter he should have ■waited at Port Chalmers for the last quarter of the tide for slack water, but, so far as the water in tho channel was concerned, there was no occasion for: him to* wait.