LOSS OF WIMMERA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17861, 6 August 1918, Page 4

LOSS OF WIMMERA.

THE INQUIRY CONTINUED.

[Psr Press Association.] AUCKLAND, August 5.

At the Wimmera inquiry Mr M' Veagh •bjocttd to the Court accepting expert evidence by Captain Hall Thompson on steamship navigation while the Court was assisted by nautical assessors. The Court reserved the point. Cecil Jones, general manager of the Uucktart - Parker Company, gave oviuenco ' that ho never received any instructions from the Admiralty as to trade routes of vessels. So far as ho was aware, no shore representative in New Zealand had received any instructions. Nothing would have becii gained if the Wimmera arrived in Sydney on Saturday afternoon or evening- So far as he know, no instructions woro ever issued to skippers to take short cuts to save time. The .General instructions wore that the safety of the ship was of more importance than the timetable.

i Mr Blomfield asked that the logs of various vessels should be examined by tho Court, to ascertain whether the course adopted by other shipmasters was similar to that taken by th© Wimmera.

Mr Alexander objected- Mr Blomfield had made a statement that other ships between Auckland and Sydney had taken the same course as Captain Jioll. There was no proof of this. It was not right to creato that impression. The inquiry was adjourned till September 2. to secure affidavits from Sydnoy as to instructions issued to Captain Kell, and, if necessary, the evidence of Lieutenant Commander Kiely, in chargo of mine-sweepers.