VESTRIS INQUIRY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 23 November 1928, Page 5

VESTRIS INQUIRY

HANDLING BY EXPERTS

A CHANGED ATMOSPHERE

EVIDENCE BY KXCAPTAIN

United Press Association—l)y Electrio Telegraph—Copyright Australian Press Association

NEW YORK. 21st November

The appointment of marine experts in the Vostris enquiry apparently has changed the entire atmosphere of the investigations. Over-emphatic questioning and lack of complete familiarity with nautical terminology on the part of questioners has previously tended lo distort the perspective of the hearings. The experts' milder manner and familiarity with terminology has elicited readier replies. The newspaper tendency to daily interpret the testimony of witnesses to draw conclusions for headline purposes, long articles by so-called marine experts charging thai shipowners are in greater part responsible for marine disasters, and expressions of opinion from all sorts of sources, as notably a resolution introduced at the American Federation of Labour Convention asking the Department of Justice for an enquiry into rumours that salvage consideration left the Vestris to her doom, have seemingly emphasised the inclination to condemn British seamanship and attribute negligence lo men who are unable lo defend themselves.

Before the commerce hearing Captain William Bramba, who was master of the Vestris while Captain Qarey was on a recent vacation, testified: "It is a mystery to me. I wish I could unravel 'it. Tliat was one of the finest ships 1 ever had in my life."

Mr Davies has been subpoenaed to apncar before Mr Tuttle, probably on .Monday, since he has been asked to stay in bed until that day by his doctor.

LOADED BOAT DRAGGED DOWN

(Received 23rd November, 10 a.m.) NEW YORK, 22nd November. .Joseph Boxill, a negro stoker, testified at the Vestris inquiry before Mr Tuttle that the Vestris lifeboat No. 4 was filled mostly with women and children, and was lowered to within five feet of the water, but never released from the ship. Boxill said he saw the sinking vessel drag the loaded boat down with it. Mr Tuttle expedited his investigation as much as possible, calling numerous witnesses in rapid succession. Captain William Bambra told much the same story as before the other investigation, adding that while lie was in command of the vessel boat drills were held regularly. The hearings otherwise were occupied with unsupportable statements from negro members of the crew, and others, such as that the cause of the sinking "might have been lead on the bottom."