THE WRECKED FOREST HALL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8825, 17 March 1909, Page 5

THE WRECKED FOREST HALL.

SOME STRANGE EVIDENCE. (Per Press Association J AUCKLAND, March 15. The enquiry into the wreck of the ship Forest Hall was continued. The captain, recalled, swore that the mate never complained to him about the loss of the log. On the shore ho asked the mate where the log was, and he replied that he did not know. Witness asked the second and third officers if they knew where the log was, and either tho second mate or the steward said that they had seen it in the mate's room the day they struck. After tho ship struck he gave orders for the boats to be got read 3' for going ashore, and told the steward to provision them. BEHAVING LIKE A MADMAN. Charles Miller * Collins, an A.B (brother of Captain Collins), who was acting as third officer, said that on tho morning of tho wreck he told tho mate that the captain was very ill, and that the mate should keep an eye on things, as they were getting near land. When he spoke thusly to tho mate the latter was perfectly sober, but later on he was drunk. On the beach on Sunday the mate was very drunk, and was behaving like a madman. On Sunday he saw that the provisions had been thrown about in all directions. Food had been thrown into the fire at the captain's hut. When the captain was leaving for Parengarenga on Sunday, Ramsay was "mad" (drunk). The mate was never sober from Sunday morning till they got to Parengarenga. = CURSING AND SWEARING. Arthur Hughes, steward and cook, said that at four o'clock on the morning of the wreck the first officer was drunk. He was annoying the witness at tho galley, cursing and swearing at him. Later in the morning the mate on two occasions assaulted him. Fully a month and a half's provisions were put in the boats. Witness passed what he took to be the mate's log book into the boat in which the mate went ashore. Before leaving he endeavoured to get the second mate and Passmore, A.8., into the boat, but they were dead drunk. He dragged the second officer out' of his bunk and pulled him to the rail, and the officer cursed him when he tried to get him over the rail. When ho got ashore Ramsay and the mate were drunk, and they continued so until mid-day next day. Ramsay was destroying stores on the shore The captain was ill on the voyage, and had not had anything solid to eat for ten days.

VESSEL STRUCK TWICE. , Frank Hudson, A.8., who was at the wheel when the vessel grounded, stated that after tho vessel struck first she sailed on for about two miles before she touched again and grounded. In cross-examination he stuck to his statement, saying that he distinctly felt the vessel touch the first time, about an hour before grounding. INSURANCES. • It was stated that the only information available, as to insurances was that the vessel was partly insured at Home. The Court held that the inquiry should not be closed until full particulars of insurances were available. The inquiry was accordingly adjourned till Friday.