THE WRECK OF THE WANAKA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8540, 14 April 1891, Page 5

THE WRECK OF THE WANAKA.

OFFICIAL INQUIRY. [BY TELKGHAPII. —PRESS ASSOCIATION,] Nkw Plymouth, Monday. The "Wanaka inquiry was resumed this morning. Captain Meads said if he had thrown the lead after ho saw the fire he would not have found any difference in the depth until he got near the reefs. He did not, under the circumstances, consider lfb should have done so. Hβ believed he was on the right course for picking up the iNew Plymouth light. He depended on the state of tho atmosphere. Were the red light at New Plymouth a white one it would be an improvement for picking »ip at a distance. The white light from the gaslight at the Hospital was seen further off than the harbour lights. The harbour lights were oil. If between a quarter past thrco o'clock and the time she struck he had thrown the lead, and found fifteen to twenty-five fathoms, he would still have continued the same course until he was two miles off where he expected to see the land. From his own knowledge he did not know of any current setting in towards the coast. George Pearce, able seaman, who was at the wheel, stated that he kept the vessel to her course. Tho first officer was very particular about steering. At two o'clock Dale, an able seaman, relieved him, and he went on the forecastle head to keep a look out. He gave the course south by half east to Dale. The captain came on deck at quarter-past two a.m. There was smoke all round, and they could not eee a hundred yards ahead. After three he reported to rhe chief otlicer a light which turned out to be a fire. It was on the port bow and looked about ten miles off. He next heard the captain order " hard a port." Two or three minutes afterwards the vessel struck. He had been 16 years on the coast, and a fine weather course was south by half east. When the vessel struck he could not see the land. When on the look out he could not see a sign of rocks or shore water. He could see no light He went in the boat with tho passengers towards the breakwater, and they were pulling twenty minutes in that direction before they picked up the harbour lights. They ought to bo visible where the steamer was stranded. They discovered the lights about a quarter to five. No one on board the steamer was otherwise than sober that morning. George Dale, an able seaman, corroborated the last witness , evidence. He was steering south by half east, when tho captain altered to south by west, which course he kept till he was told to "hard a-port," which order ho obeyed. The steamer was answering her helm when she struck, and then ceased to move. The officers never found fault with his steering. That night the weather was hazy. He could not see the land till five minutes after they had struck. Ho had been six months on the Wanaka, four months of which he had been steering. He was overlooked by the officers on tho bridge. The evidence of the first mate was taken at the Hospital this afternoon. He corroborated Captain Meads' statement. He had been travelling on this coast for some years, and had only known the Wanaka on one other occasion to be unaccountably off her course. That was three and a-half years ago, when Captain Grant was in charge. On that occasion sho went ten miles out of her course. No cause could be assigned for it, as the course was kept correctly and the water was perfectly calm. The inquiry was adjourned till to-morrow morning. The Court ordered that soundings bo made at the spot where the Wanaka struck, and five miles out.