HARBOUR COLLISION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13727, 18 April 1908, Page 6

HARBOUR COLLISION.

,— ~ EYESIGHT TESTS ORDERED. HEARING FURTHER ADJOURNED. The inquiry into the circumstances •'■'. ih« collision between the steamer Wairur.a and the ketch Mooimh was continued oh Thursday, before Mr. C. C. Kettle. S.M., and Captains Adamson and Mackenzie, its- . sessors. Mr. Maya appeared for the Customs Department, Mr. McVeigh for th« Union Steam Ship Company, Mr. Ha,niw» for Captain Robinson and the other officers of the Wairuua, and Mr. McGregor for Captain de Silva, ot the Moonah, Captain Robinson, master of the Wa;«-sl||' i-una, was recalled and examined by Mr. - . Manna. He stated that there was r.o d,uO]SM) cussion between him ai.ci his officers after the collision regarding the- occurrence. He told the chief officer ho would have to make an entry in the log about it. The entry was made, and -witness read it out . to the officers, and then fold them to read it over themselves, and if there ww'Sp?;■.' anything' in it contrary to -what had taken place they need not sign it. -*ffl§P To Mr. Kettle: Witness knew before iw. left Auckland that a nautical inquiry would j%? be held into the accident. "V " Mr. Kettle: Did you ask, your offices to write down a statement of the occur- - - rences of that night? Witness: No. Mr. Kettle (to Mr. McGregor) Did th* . owners or master of the ketch report the • matter in any way? Mr. McGregor: The owners reported it ,■ ■ to the Collector. I also took a statement , from the captain and Stirling at the Imspital.

Captain Thomas Atwotfd, $s*isUntmarine superintendent, examined by Mr. McGregor, "said be inspected the" ketcV;|f?sl Moonah wit - September. She was-a very strong vessel, built of Australian hardwood. Ho bad inspected her lights, whr 4, were satisfactory. If the vessel were com-, ing up the harbour on the starboard tack her port lights should not be obscured. To Mr. Kettle: Witness thought it would be absolutely impossible, from what he had seen of the damage done to the Moonah,' that it could have been caused by her drifting on to the steamer's bow.. _To Mr. McVeagh: Witness had no notion of what weight a steamer of the W&i '•' runa's size would represent travelling at ' the rate a six knots an hour. *_ David Gouk, shipbuilder, said that during his business career he had raised 37 'V sunken vessels. The Moonah was a strongly-built vessel. He had seen the hole in its side. It was 22ft across and, came within sft of the starboard side. la his opinion it was impossible that the in- -' jury could have been inflicted by the; *| f i Moonah drifting on to the steamer. He should say the steamer had a considerable way on her when the two vessels met. He thought by the appearance of the mast* and the state of the" ketch, that the.WWa- t .\- runa muut have gone right over her. Captain tie Silva, recalled, said that feprior to the collision the Moonah was sail, . ing about four miles an hour. Further evidence was given by the Wairuna's carpenter regarding the accident. It was arranged that the runa's log and a copy of the report made by the captain, of the Wairuua to the Collector of Customs at- Newcastle should be produced for the inspection of the Court, ft was also decided to submit the officers.' of both the steamer and the ketch to an eyesight test. The inquiry, at this stage, was adjourned until the 24th inst.