ACCIDENT TO ULIMAROA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14019, 26 March 1909, Page 4

ACCIDENT TO ULIMAROA.

HOW DID IT. HAPPEN? ACTION BY OTAGO BARBOUR. BOARD. ■ Try tklbgrapb.—press ASSOCIATION.! Dunedin, Thursday. COMMENr"was made at to-day's meeting of the Harbour Board on the grounding of the Huddait-Parker steamer Uhmaroa , recertly. Mr. Belcher asked : Has any official inquiry been held intone grounding of the Ulimafoa in Otago Harbour. If so, where and what was the result ot the inquiry" Does the Otago ■ Harbour Boat d' contemplate - holding a de -. ment*' inquiry as to the causes of the grounding of the vessel?'. The Chairman replied that a.telegram had been received from the Under-Secre-tary of Marine, stating that from the evidence elicited at a preliminary inquiry the accident appeared to have been caused by the vessel trying to-navigate ; a-narrow channel in a strong tide, and with a strong south-west wind blowing. The telegram added.that" a magisterial inquiry; did -not appear necessary. The chairman said that seeing considerable injury had been done to the port of Otago by the occurrence, the same publicity should have been given to the inquiry into the circumstances is was given to the circumstance itself. _ lie thought also that the inquiry should have been held in Dunedin, and not in Wellington. As to the second question, it was a matter for the Board to / decide whether further action should be taken; He thought 4 the Board would be justified in holding an inquiry, and calling on/th? master of the Ulimaroa to show cause ; why his exemption certificate for Otago Harbour should riot be dealt with by the Board. *" I Mr. Belcher said that • when the Ulimaroa grounded, only a little more pressure on the bottom plates was required to cause her to sink then and there. It was a matter of luck that the channel up to Dunedin wharves was not blocked by the Ulimaroa. On Mr. Rattray's motion it was decided Y "That a committee inquire from 'h.<Board's officers the conditions • .under which the accident happened to the Ulimaroa; to obtain also a copy of the evidence taken at the preliminary inquiry held in Christchurch, and to report to the Board whether, in the opinion of the committee, further action should be taken in the Board's interests. It was also decided to appoint ; a committee withpowsr t> frame regulations to, govern the navigation of Otago Harbour, r.nd' to deal with pilot exemption certificates where careless navigation is proved.'!