LOSS OF THE MANAIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 26 June 1926, Page 7

LOSS OF THE MANAIA

NAUTICAL COURT OPENS (Unite 1 Press Association.; AUCKLAND, Juno 25. A Nautical Court opened to-day to inquire into the loss of tie stjamer Manaia on Slipper Island on the night of 10th June. The Court comprised Mr E. C. Cutteu, S.M., and Captain Smith and Captain Lime, assessors. Captain Norbury, in evidence, said he held a New Zealand master's certificate for foreign trade. He had been a master in the Northern Steamship Company for 40 years, and was familiar witli the'Tauranga run. On the night of 10th June the weather was fairly clear,' although there was a. rain, storm before he left Tatranga at 7.50 p.m. He shaped his course when about a mile and a half clear of the Karewha Rocks, which he could see quite clearly. He set a course west-by-north, quarter north, -The Manaia had a list to port, and with the port -propeller working more than the starboard one, he estimated that 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, which was made in much the same weather. On tho last trip the visibilty • was good between the rain squalls. There was very -little wind and very little sea. The compasses were adjusted at the last inspection in September. After the course was set he left the third mate,.ill- J. Hare, in charge of the bridge while he weat to bis room to read a newspaper. The third mat«\ he believed, had not previously beeu on the Tauranga; run." A seaman « amed Boote was at the wheel. The usual '••- structiohs Were given. to give ad headlands one mile clearance, dc t«-.ld u e third mate to call him at U.Jfl p ni ; when he expected Slipper Island to hfour or five miles to the south. Whan he went back on the'bridge at tho time mentione_d Slipper Island should nave been plainly in view. • |Mr Meredith, for the Marine .department: "You think the mat* should have seen Slipper Island?" Captain Norbury: "Yes, if the visibility was anyway good, eight miles of." He saw Mayor Island at a further ciis tance. At 11.15 R.m. he was standing under the bridge sheltering from the »'ain. He could see nothing from there. As the rain became harder he went en the bridge, and asked the third mate if it had been raining all along. The thir-i mate replied: "No, only passing squalls." Asked, had he seen anythi:!4 he replied, "Yes. there's the Slipper." Witness saw land about a mile off. Their would have been a perfectly safe position had it been Slipper Island UTie mate then said, "There's land ahead ' Almost immediately the Manaia crashed on to the reef. It was then 11.32 p m » - AUCKLAND, This Day.' -The Manaia wreck inquiry was adjourned till Monday. Capt. Norbury said several reaso<ns"for the wreck might be advanced, and each would be wrong. The ship might have gone off her course, or there might have been a set, or the compasses suffered .aberration. As a matter of fact the Ngapuhi's compasses went wrong the next trip. Sets might occur anvwhere.

Mr Shirley, chief officer, said he had learned since that a set was always present in the locality of Slipper Island. •CapU McDonald staled-that his ship, the Alotu, was near Slipper Island (in the night of the wreck. He saw the Manaia's signals and went to her assistance and found the vessel going off her course. Twice he had to adjust as a result of the strong set inshore.