RANGATIRA INQUIRY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 109, 8 April 1936, Page 2

RANGATIRA INQUIRY.

“ERROR OF JUDGMENT. MASTER NOT TO BE PENALISED. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 7. The Court’s' judgment in the rehearing of the Rangntiva inquiry was delivered by the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers) this afternoon. He held, in the first place, that., the Minister of Marine had jurisdiction to order and the Court to hold the rehearing. , _ On the facts of the- case the Court came to the conclusion that in all the circumstances, the master proceeding as he did at 6.2 a.m. was an error of judgment, nl view, however, of his unblemished record and superb seamanship after the disaster, and of the undoubtedly abnormal tide which caused the vessel to bo set to the west so far out of her course, the Court should not be affected. With regard to the wireless operator, the Court was not prepared to accept the view that comliance with the regulations was a matter left to the discretion of the wireless operator. The judgment' mentioned no ill-effects resulting from failure to sound the alarm signal. The Court apparently had no jurisdiction over the certificates of wireless officers, but in any event did not recommend in all the circumstances of the case that the officer’s certificate should be prejudicially affected.