SHIPPING CASUALTIES

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15908, 20 April 1912, Page 12

SHIPPING CASUALTIES

THE STRANDING OF THE HIMITANGI.

NAUTICAL INQUIRY. [Per Pre33 Association.! WELLINGTON, April 19

I An inquiry into tho circumstances F connected with the stranding of the steamer Himitangi at the Chathams on Februaa-y 11 was held at tho Magistrate's Court this morning. The Court consisted of Dr McArthur, S.M., and Captains Post and Black. Mr C. E. Nixon represented tho Customs Department, Mr Dalaioll appeared for the Chatham -Jslands Fishing Company, Ltd., and Air A. Gray for Captain Cowan, master of tho Himitangi. Captain James Cowan, master mariner, said the Himitangi was at anchor at Waitangi on the night of February 11. The weather was calm and the •placo. was well sheltered. After anchoring, he set tho usual watch, and left I instructions to bo called if there was any change in the weather. About 4.40 a.m. he felt the ship roll. Ho called the officers and crew, and sent a man to the chain locker to get ready to haul in the anchor chain. He rang "Stand liy" on the engines and did his utmost to keep the vessel from going on the beach. The vessel touched bottom, and therefore the engines were' not of much use. He then tried to get the vessel's bow on to the beach. Subsequently he gave instructions to the chief engineer to fill.the ballast tanks to prevent tho vessel from going further up the beach. Before the vessel went on the beach he gave instructions to call all hands and get the passengers ashore Tho passengers were safely landed. He nut two anchors down, with 150 fathoms of rope, but those ropes proved insufficiently strong. He piit down a rope made of fencing wire but .the gear he had proved of uo use. The usual practice for twelve years past on the Himitangi had been to leave the fireman to keep tho anchor watch. The fireman's duty below was light. He" had four hours on and eight hours off. Under the circumstances, he did not think it would bo better to havo an A.B. to keep watch. Tho quantity of ground tackle was more than ample and was perfectly satisfactory. He attributed the fact of .the gear. giving way to the pin of the shackle carrying away. It was an old shackle, but it looked all right. . To Mr Gray: Tho cables and gear were inspected every April by the Marine Department. .The. ship was on tho beach for about /w.von weeks. He made many attempts to get the vessel off with tho gear available. Archibald M'lntyre, chief officer of the Himitangi, gave similar evidence to that of the previous witness. Ho said that ho noticed' nothing the matter with the anchor or cable. Ho shackled tho cable on the anchor in Wellington. He thought the pin must have come out of the'shackle. Everything was dono that could have been done under the circumstances.

To Mr Gray: It was the rule of the Himitangi for firemen to keep the anchor watch. The firemen were steady capable men. .Thomas Clarkson Sawyers, second officer, said the vessol lost three anchors a month or two heforo tho stranding. The chain carried away. It had parted a number of times.

The following witnesses wore also examined:—J. H. Prendeville (chief engineer), H. Hoblyn (A.B. and lamp trimmer), Arthur Calvert (surveyor of ships and inspector of machinery), John Symons (fireman), Harold W. Foster (second officer in tho P. and O. service, now on holiday), John M. Samson (manager of Chatham Islands Fishing Company), William E. Fuller (shipping manager, Levin and Company), and Archibald Walker (Marine Surveyor).

In his evidence A. Calvert said ho inspected tho Himitangi on May 6, 1911, and found the cabler- in good condition. In his opinion tho reason for the breaking of the cable was that<there was not sufficient cable out. In the course of bis address Mr Gray said he was authorised by the chairman of directors of tho Chatham Islands Fishing Company to say thajt tho company still retained confidence in Captain Cowan.

The Court, in its judgment, absolved the captain of the Himitangi from any carelessness whatever. In fact, it was of opjinion that he was careful in tho management of the steamer. The captain's, certificate was therefore returned. The Court added that the captain, in leaving a fireman to take the anchor watch, only- followed tho practice which had hitherto prevailed on tho steamer. The Nautical Assessors were strongly of opinion that such a practice could not bo allowed' in future. Dr M'Arthur, S.M., held that tho word " seaman " in the Act included firemen. No order was made as to costs.