THE KAPANUI DISASTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13084, 25 January 1906, Page 6

THE KAPANUI DISASTER.

THE INQUEST. I QUESTION OF MINE FIELDS RAISED, j The inquest upon three, of the victims of the Kapanui disaster was held yesterday at the Esplanade Hot*!. The three subjects of the inquest were John Fletcher, Frederick Heavev, and Frank Hubert Clarke. The inquest was held by Mr. T. Gresham (city coroner), and a jury of six. Cantain Southgate (Kapanui) and Captain Mewitt (Claymore) were present. Mr. McGregor watched the proceedings 011 behalf of the Settlers' Steamship Company, and Mr. Alexander on behalf of the late Frank Herbert Clarke's relatives. The deceased Heavey was represented by his step-father. Mr. Osborne. Sergeant Hendry appeared for the police. Mr. Gresham read a statement he had prepared, with a view to shortening the proceedings. The statement embodied an account of he movements of the Claymore and Kapanui prior to the accident, and it was signed by the captains of the two vessels. Captain Southgate and Captain Mewitt assented to the statement, and accepted it as being correct. Captain Mewitt was the first witness called. He stated, in answer to Mr. Gresham.' that there was no one on board that he knew of that, heard the three blasts of the whistle he gave when approaching the Kapanui. The engineer had heard two blasts. He first saw the Kapanui's lights about, a mile and a-half off. She was then heading for the main channel. He did not deviate in his course before lie reached the Kapanui. If the Kapanui had continued her original course the collision could not have happened. Up to the point of the impact he did not know what steamer it was. When the Kapanui passed the Gael she went to starboard quickly, and he then lost her green light. The Kapanui had no port light that ho saw, but the masthead light was burning. Had lie not stopped and gone full speed astern he would have* probably cut the Kapanui in two, his boat- being steel, while five Kapanui was wood. He did not hear a whistle from the Kapanui.

In answer to Sergeant Hendry Captain Mewitt said the Claymore was well lit up with electric lights. He thought there, would still have been a collision had he stopped the engines when he first lost the Kapanui's green light. He had to wait till he saw what the Kapanui was doing before he could act. . George A. Avery, tho engineer on the Claymore, stated the first tiling that attracted his attention just prior to the collision were two blasts of the Claymore's whistle. This he took as a sign of danger, and stood by his engines. There might have been three blasts of the whistle. Joseph Roger?, mate on the Claymore, said lie was on the lower bridge acting as lookout when the Claymore left the Auckland wharf. He was attending to other duties when the collision occurred. He hoard the Claymore's whistle. It was a matter of seconds between the blowing of the whistle and the actual collision. Arthur Austin, a seaman on board the Claymore, said he thought at the time that the whistle on board the Claymore was blown with a view to warning those on the Devonport Wharf that they were going to call there. Ho assisted in getting the boats out, and there was a little trouble in getting the big lifeboat oqt-. but the first boat was out before the Kapanui sank. The plug was in the lifeboat, for he put it in himself. James Southgate, ex-captain of the Kapanui, in evidence, stated that he passed the Gael after entering the harbour on the starboard side. At that time it- was discovered that the Kapanui's port light was out. He did not slacken his speed, but ordered the light to bo replaced as quickly as possible. To Sergeant Hendry: The Claymore was not in a straight line behind the Gael, but was almost end to end 011 to the Kapanui. He changed his course after passing tho Gael, so as to pass the Claymore red light to red light. He did not,pass inside the Gael, as she did not leave enough room; and if he had done so he would have had to pass over the mine fields. Sergeant - Hendry: How do you explain that you were struck broadside on?— Claymore must have swung round and come in towards us. Further questioned, the witness said he did not think it was his duty to light a flare in place of the light that had gone out, as that would be deceiving. Sergeant Hendry: Captain Mewitt has said that a cautious commander would light a flare if a light went out, and continuously blow his whistle; do you agree with that? Captain Souihgate: To a certain extent I do. It is all very well for Captain Mewitt to say that, but I only had about 30 seconds to act. Sergeant Hendry: There must have been careless navigation on board the Claymore? Is that what you say?—Oh 1 no, I would not say that. A Juror: Who gave you instructions not to go over the mine fields? You have already said that if you had gone inside the Gael you would have had to go ovsr these mines. Captain Southgate: The Wellington Defence Force warned us.

Mr. Gresham: You never mentioned anything about mines at the nautical inquiry. Would it not have been then tho time to mention that? The assessors then might have said you were perfectly justified in what you did. In answer to the coroner the witness said he did not blow his whistle because he heard one blast of the Claymore's whistle, which he tocik to mean the Claymoro was going to starboard, and as he was going to port he thought all was clear. He did not reverse his engines, because if he had done that he thought there would have been no chance of saving anybody. j Captain Fleming, shipping officer, was called. He said he would not, in the circumstances, have crossed to the other side of the Claymore showing the Kapanui's port side without a light. Had he been the captain of the Kapanui lie would have kept straight 011 green light to green light.

Captain McKenzie, 01 the s.s. Gael, said he could not say whether or not the port light of the Kapanui was alight. The Claymore was following the Gael, slightly on the starboard quarter, and about three or four hundred yards behind. There were no mine fields buoyed where be passed the Kapanui. He gave the captain of the Kapanui plenty of room to pass on the port side, had ho wished to do so. His opinion was that the captain of the Claymore altered his course to port and towards shore. In the circumstances in which Captain Southgate was placed the course he woulet have taken was " green to green" until he had passed the Claymore. , The inquest was then adjourned until ten o'clock this morning.