RECENT WRECK

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 175, 25 June 1926, Page 8

RECENT WRECK

LOSS OF THE MANAIA. OPENING OF INQUIRY. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, June 25. ' Tho Nautical Court opened to-day the inquiry concerning the loss of the steamer Manaia on Slipper Island on tho night of June 10. The court comprised Mr Cutten, S:M., and Captains Smith and Lane, assessors. Captain Norbury, in evidence, said lie held a New Zealand master’s certificate for foreign trade: Ho had been a master in tho Northern Steamship Company for 40 ypars. He was familiar, with the Tauranga run. On the night of June 10 the weather was fairly clear, although there was a rainstorm before he left Tauranga. At 7.50 p.m. he shaped his course when about a mile and a-half clear of Karewha rocks, which he could see quite clearly. He set a course west by north and aquarter north. The Manaia had a list to port, and with tho port propeller working more than tho starboard ho estimated the steamer would make at least a-quarter of a point to starboard, which should have taken him a good three miles off Slipper Island. The course set was the same as on the previous trip, when there was much the same weather. The visibility was good between the rain squalls. There was very little wind and very little sea. The compasses were adjusted at tho last inspection in September. After the course was set ho left the third mate, Mr J. Hare, in charge of the bridge while he wont to his room to read a newspaper. The third mate, he believed, had not. previously, been on the Tauranga run. A seaman named Boate was at the wheel. The usual instructions were given to give all headlands one mile clearaiice ( etc. He told the third mate to call him at 11.15 p.m., when Ire expected Slipper Island to he four or five miles to tho south, but when ho went hack on the bridge at tho time mentioned Slipper Island should have been plainly in view. . Mr Meredith (for the Marine Department) : You think the mate should nave seen Slipper Island. . Captain Norbury: Yes, if tho visibility was anyway good lie should have seen it seven or eight miles off. He saw Mayor.lsland at a further distance at 11.15 p.m. He (Captain Norbury) was standing under tho bridge sheltering from the rain and could see nothing from there. As the rain came harder lie went on the bridge and asked the third mate had it been raining all along. He replied, “No, only passing squalls.” Asked had ho seen anything, he replied, “Yes; there's the Slipper.” Witness saw land about a mile off. The position would have beon perfectly sale had it been Slipper Island. Tho mate then said: There’s land ahead,” and almost immediately tho Manaia crashed on to the reef. It was 11.32 p.m.