MANUREWA – VESPER COLLISION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13455, 4 June 1907, Page 6

MANUREWA - VESPER COLLISION.

EVIDENCE CONCLUDED. The nautical inquiry into the circumstances ) surrounding the collision between the barque Manurewa and the scow Vesper, off Tiri, on May 23, was continued at the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. ■ Mr. C. C. Kettle, ;S.M ! ~i presided, and associated with him were Captains Adamson and McKenzie. Mr. R. McVeagh appeared for Captain Nillson, of the Manurewa, : Mr. McGregor for Captain Biddick, of the Vesper, and Mr. Shera for the Collector of Customs. - ■ ■'. Captain Biddick, further cross-examined \ by Mr.' McVeagh, said that his vessel's I lights were put up at a-quarter to five on the evening before the collision. Just be- 1 fore the collision he heard someone cry out to him. \ '/}' \..:'; : . , To Mr. McGregor: The man at the wheel was trustworthy, and had frequently been in charge of the deck at night time. He had been steering a good course. The vessel was heading south by west, close hauled. He could see that his lights were burning. After the collision he examined the lamps, and found them both burning brightly. Hodge, A.8., who was at the wheel, had a clear view. The Court: Supposing Hodge had been keeping a sharp lookout, how far off should he have seen the Manurewa's green light? Witness: I think about three-quarters of a mile off on a night like that. Henry Charles Hodge, A.B. on the Vesper, who was at the wheel at the time of the collision, said that from eleven p.m. (the time he went on duty) to the time of the accident they were on the starboard tack. He saw the stern light of a steamer on the weather bow. He was keeping a sharp lookout, but the only reason he could advance for missing the Manurewa's green light was that he thought he was on the same tack as that vessel. At the time of the collision he was watching the bright light of Tiritiri. Mr. Kettle : Why did you do that? , Witness: To see how fast we were going. . -'• - ' , Mr.' Kettle: Was there any reflection- on the water from the Tiri light? Witness: Oh, yes. .'•.■'■ .To Mr. McVeagh: He had been four years on the Auckland-Whangarei route, and had been 17 months on the Vesper. Mr. McVeagh : You have been telling the Court that you- were watching the Tiri light, and when you turned round it dazed you? Yes. • '.''■ : ' Was Tiri in a bad mood that night Yes..:; „. '_ Do you think that Tiri should be put in another position? certainly not. Did someone .sing out to you before you struck, " Put your helm down?" did not hear him. To Mr. McGregor: Witness had been at sea for 25 years. Both of the Vesper's lights were burning brightly after the collision. ; : William Clarke, A.B. on the Vesper, gave evidence as to the lights being in good order. .-.'■; " - This concluded the evidence. After counsel had addressed the Court, Mr. Kettle said the Court would endeavour to give its decision at ten o'clock this morning. :'■:■::/:■ ■ V- I;.'1 ;.'