LOSS OF THE OPOURI.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13975, 11 September 1917, Page 4

LOSS OF THE OPOURI.

WRECKED ON GREY BAR, NAUTICAL INQUIRY. (Por Pre£« Association.) GREYMOUTII, September 10. Tlip inquiry into the Opouri week, inside the entrance of Grey River on September lird was held to-day before tlio .Magistrate (Mr T. Hutchison), and with him the assessors Captains Lobb and Crawford, anil E, P. Turner, of Chmtclnirch. Captain Cox, master of the in his evidence, said at eleven o'clock he received a morse message to come in on die headwind. Twenty minutes later, when about liait'-way between the end of the southern breakwater and the signal station, the vessel sheered to port', ami instead of answering her helm the vessel paid off ami,struck the inner northern wall, lie full speed to straighten up the vessel, am] ordered the mate to let go the anchors, but there was only time to let go the port anchor. From the time the ship sheered, till she struck, was only a' few seconds, lie heard nothing to lead him to, form a conclusion as to the ' cause of the accident. After he left the bridge he had learned that the starboard steering gear had carried away. The second mate was 011 the bridge with liim. The steering gear was last Inspected by the Government surveyor in. T "* Januarv.

Witness inspected the same at sea on Monday morning. The Court examined the gear, Mr Turner remarking that it was not stripped, it was absolutely rotted away. The first and second mates gave evidence, the latlei'i stating thai lie heard no sound to indicate that anything was wrong with the steering gear. Mr McKenzie, local inspector of machinery Laid he inspected the boat and steering gear since the mishap and found everything in good order, except the union screw which would on appearance have satisfied him. He opened the screw and it had been slack ever since it had been designed. Questioned by the chairman witueos said the fault would be easily overtyped. The whole thing'was bad design. According to .his theory the accident was due to a screw breaking owing to the iitrain,

Consulerablc.evidcnccwas'-faken,

The captain was recalled and said tho Opouri's back was now broken, and 'there was now absolutely no chance of relloating her,

At the conclusion of the evidence tlia chairman sulci the answers to the questions submitted to the' .court werethat the stranding of the vessel was wholly due to the parting of the starboard steering gear. The stranding of the vessel was not due. in any measuro to any wrongful act or default of tho master or any officer of the vessel. We And Sat the casualty was duo to tltij stretching of the screw of the starboard steering rod, being defective and parting ,whilc the vessel was crossing the bar. We think that the steering gear having been surveyed and passed by Lloyd's surveyor" and tho Government surveyor six-months ago tho captain is entitled to rely on that as yliowing that the steering gear was then efficient. We think that tho steering gear ought, nevertheless, to bear inspection thereafter, at each terminal" port by deck officers of the vessel, to ascertain that it continued to be in. am efficient state, but in view of the evi- . dencc, we do not think the omission to ' do so can be impu'ed, as such wrongful default as would justify the court cancelling, or suspending tho certificate of the master or mato or engineer. Tho ' certificates were returned. Wo mako no order as to costs.