HARBOUR COLLISION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13725, 15 April 1908, Page 8

HARBOUR COLLISION.

FURTHER EVIDENCE.

GRAPHIC DETAILS.

Thb marine inquiry into the ciiciimst»..«.-es of the :o!iisioM between the steamer Wairuna and the ketch Moonah was continued yesterday before Mr. C C. Kettle, S.M., and Captains Adamsou and Mackenzie, assessors. Mr. Mays appeared for the Customs Department, Mr. McVeagh for the Union Steam Ship Company.. Mr Hanna for Captain Robinson and thr other officers of the Wairuna. and Mr. McGrego. for Captain de Sliva, of the Moonah. Win. George Krause, on© of the crew of the ketch, continuing his evidence, said that before the collision he saw the three lights of the steamer when she was close to the Iris. The steamer was coming straight towards the bow of the, ketch. In reply to Mr, McGregor, witness said that when fie saw the lights he could see that if the steamer lidn't act quickly there would be a collision. To Mr. Kettle: When the Wait ana. struck the ketch the steamer had her engines reversed, but they must have had a considerable amount of headway on them. If the steamer had been put hard-a-port immediately, or if she could have been stopped (bad," the collision might have- been averted. To Mr. McGregor: If the captain of the ketch had gone ahead, instead of stopping, the steamer would have struck her further for'ard. In witness' opinion, the captain of the ketch did the only thing he could do to minimise the danger. Witness added that after the collision occurred he found himself in the swirl of the water, being '" sucked down and down." When he came to the surface and looked round, the steamer was going fairly fast. The steamer continued Im course. Witness' went to Captain de Suva's assistance with a lifebuoy. All the crew started " singing out" when they came to the surface. Those on the steamer were deserving of the highest credit for the prompt action taken in rescuing the crew. To Mr. Mays: When witness passed aft to get the lifebuoy the green light of the steamer was very close, and immediately afterwards he was flung over the side by the force of the impact between the two vessels. He subsequently attended the inquest on the body of the man that was found, but could hot identify it. Witness described the clothing with which the deceased was apparelled, and said it corresponded with that worn by Smith. Malcolm McCallum, chief engineer of the Wairuna, was examined by Mr. Hanna regarding the speed of the Wairuna at the time of the collision. He said that at 10.35 the chief officer came down to the engineroom with orders from the captain that the steamer was going to anchor, as there had been an accident, and a, sailing vessel had been sunk. Witness said this was the first intimation he had that there had been an accident. He felt nothing of the collision in the engineroom. He heard the steamer's whistle go, and worked the vessel himself, anticipating that there might be an emergency call The full speed of the Wairuna was 11£ knots. Anything over halt-speed in the Auckland Harbour was considered full speed. At full speed on the night in question the steamer was not going more than 4£ to 5£ knots. To Mr. McVeagh: Witness had known. Captain Robinson for 1? or 18 years, and had been with him six or seven months. He (witness) could say of him that he was one of the most careful navigatorsin fact, he was almost "painfully careful." .The officers were very careful and attentive to their duties. To Mr. McGregor: The steamer left the wharf with 1501b pressure of steam. When he got the order full speed ahead, he did not put the vessel at full speed, but- at what «as called *' harbour full speed." which was a little beyond half speed. Witness was certain that no engines would-ffive full, speed under the same conditions that the Wairuna was in that night. To Mr. Kettle: Full speed in the harbour was- nothing like the full speed of a. ship at sea. Joseph Morley, chief officer of the Wail'una, gave evidence regarding the collision. There was,* he said, a wind of sufficient force to blow t u e scow across the steamer's stern.Mr. McGregor, in the course of his crossexamination of the chief mate, produced two small models of vessels, representing the ketch and the steamer, and asked the witness to give a, practical illustration with them as to how, in his opinion, the collision occurred. Witness did so. The chairman of the Bench, after watching the illustration, remarked, "Then the scowmust have drifted broadside on to the steamer, in your opinion?'' Witness: Yes. To Mr. McGregor: When the impact occurred the engines had stopped. Mr. Kettle: This is important. At the conclusion of the examination of this witness, the inquiry was adjourned till, this morning.