THE TAKAPUNA INQUIRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7005, 30 April 1884, Page 5

THE TAKAPUNA INQUIRY.

EXTRAORDINARY EVIDENCE. [BY TKLEGBUPH. — PRSSS A3.SOOIA.TIOX.I DtJNEDix, Tuesday. The inquiry re the Takapuna was continued to-day. The second mate of the steimer, Henry Ferdinand Sommers, stated : I waa second mate of tbe Takapuna from November 17 last up to March 3rd. On the 22nd November the ship left the Manukau and reached New Plymouth *omewhere about midnight, leaving there about half an hour later. I went on the bridge about half-past twelve, and the master shortly left the bridge. He directed my attention to a point of Und ahead, and told me to keep the vessel going just as she was. I can't point on the chart what point it was, as it was my 6rst trip on that coast. After we sighted (Jape Egmont light he told me to keep a couple of mile* off the land, and haul her gradually along The light bore N.E., and then to steer S.E. | S. When the light bore N. E. the coarse she was goiDg was S.S.E., or S.S.E. JS. lam not nure of the course, because I was not steering by compass, but by the land. Seeing that this course would not take me clear of the land, I, a short time after, hauled her round. The master soon afterwards sang out through the speaking-tube, and asked me how the light bore. I told him N. by W. He then asked me if I was steering my course. I said, "No : she won't lay it." I went on a little while longer steering the same course, and 1 had just told the man at the wheel to keep her out another half point, when the man at the look-out reported some thing. I could not make out what he said, but I shouted to the mau at tbe wheel, " Hard over," and gave him a hand over with the wheel. While doing this she touched for the first time. The captain then rushed on deck and sang out " Hard aport." i think I said, " The wheel is hard a-port." or words to that «rfl»ct. He then caught hold of my arm and said, "Man, what are you trying to do ?" I do not think I answered him. He theu took me on one eide, and told me t<■ look after her while he went down below. He said he would ste if any of the passengers were moving about. He returned about twenty minutes afterwards, and took me on one side and told me that one of the steerage passengers had been asking if she had been ■•n the reef. He also told me to say nothing about it, and to deny it to everybody. Th' vessel touched twice, the latter time while the master was standing alongside me. There was not a heavy striking, but more like a vibration. It waa my first trip oc that part of the coast. Next morning at breakfast oue of the passengers named Rich, "r Litche, asked me what was the meaning of the peculiar jerk during the night. I fairi I did not know, that I thought it might be the engines priming, stopping, and then starting again. I told the master of the conversation. My reason for telling the paiseDg«r what I did was because the master had told me to say nothing about it. By the Court : I had no orders as to heav.nt; the lead though we were running »lony the shore so closely on this occasion. I took one observation on the way up to Auckland, but I had no opportunity of -eeiog the chart. The Takapuna grounded twice in the Manukau harbour as described by the master at the first hearing of the inquiry. I did not anticipate that any damage was done to her on this occasion, i'he second time she lay aground about five hours. I saw rocks ahead of her. This time when the veesel touched off Cape Egmont I did not see any rocks, nor did I or hear the surf. The sea was quite smooth, and there was no wind, but I thought we were getting too near the land. I did not heave ihe lead, because I supposed we were in deep water there. I used my own judgment in calculating the distance off the land. I took no bearings to judge the di«tance, but only used nay eyesight. When I found the vessel would not lay her course I hauled her off without calling the master. I followed the instructions of the master by not speaking about the affair at all.

The engineers on duly gave evidence as to the vessel striking. John Burton, seaman, gave the following evidence : I was quartermaster on the Takapuna on her tirst trip, and I relieved the *hoel at two a.m. The co:i.-i>.< 1 received from the man I relieved wa? "Just as she is Sfoing." She was then heading about S. E. The second otlicer was on the bridge, and the master down below. The second mate directed me from time to time how to steer. Between two and three o'clock the ship struck. Just before then the look-out mau called out something, but I do not know what it wae, except that it was something about rocks. Wβ were a bit off the main l<nd but close to a reef. As soon as I felt her bump I put the helm hard over, and the second mate came and gave me a hand. The ahip seemed to strike three times, bumping each time and making a sort of spring forward. The first bump was the heaviest, and »he heeled over with it. The master came up on to the bridge at the first bump, and was there when ahe struck the second and third time». He sang out, " What the are you doinjj with the ship now ; you are [juttitij; her ashore." The second mate said lie was only the coarse he got. The master then took the second'mate down to the other end of the bridge and spoke to ni.-n there, but I did not hear what he said. He was in his singlet and drawers, and remained oa the bridge about twenty minutes, when he went down and dreesed himself. On coniiug up again he took the second mate down to the other end of the bridge again. -After I had been relieved the master asked me what I had been saying about the ship striking. I said that I had simply answered a question put me. The master then told me that the next time I was questioned 1 was to say she never did strike, or that I knew nothing ahout it. Next day the third engineer was chaffing me about having put the vessel on the rocks, aud tor a couple of voyages it was a common topic of conversation among the crew and passengers. To the Court: I edged the vessel off myself twice without order* from the uecond mate before she struck, because I could see she was going too close. He asked me what I wa» doing, aud told me to keep her course. I had not been on that coant before. I could see the reef of rocks close alongside, too near for a ship to be, and a point running out in front. This was about ten miles from the mainland, but not a quarter of a mile from the reef. 1 said nothing to the second mate about the distance from the reef. The enquiry was then adjourned till tomorrow.