SCOWS IN COLLISION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15975, 21 July 1915, Page 5

SCOWS IN COLLISION.

DECISION OF THE COURT. MASTER OF WARO TO PAY COSTS. NO " LOOK-OUTS" KEPT. Judgment was given yesterday by the Nautical Court which held the inquiry concerning the collision between the scow's Vesper and Waro, off Bream Tail, on June 2. The Court decided that the collision was due to the gross neglect of the master of the Waro, in not seeing that his masthead light was up. His engines were going at full speed, and therefore the Waro was a steamship within the meaning of the collision regulations, and the master was bound to navigate his vessel accordingly. When the man at the Waro's wheel saw the Vesper's lights he navigated the Ware/ as a sailing vessel, whereas the master of the Waro, when he came on deck and took the wheel, navigated the vessel as a steamship. The master of the Vesper, when sighting the Waro's lights, was justified in believing that the Waro was a sailing vessel, and that under the collision regulations he was bound to keep out c/f the way of the Waro. The Vesper was running free, and the Waro was approaching on the starboard tack. The Waro showed her red light to the Vesper, and the Vesper responded by shewing her red light. Shortly afterwards the Waro's green light was shown, and then the Vesper replied by showing her green light. This went on at intervals until the collision actually took place. The Waro's duty was to havekept tier course and speed. She did keep her speed evidently, but failed to keep her course, and consequently confused the Vesper. The Court was of opinion that' no proper look-out was kept on either vessel. The look-out must be redely employed in looking out from the fore part of the vessel. He was the eyes of the vessel, and should lie employed in no other work. The Nautical Court had many times emphasised this, and vet apparently these scows still continued to disobey the collision regulations regarding the lookcut. In the case of the Waro, the engines were going at full speed at the time of the collision, and yet the engineer was sitting in the cabin some distance away reading, leaving the engines to run without any person being in control of them. The master of the Waro was ordered to pay the full costs Of the inquiry. The Court warned the master of the' Vesper with regard to his neglect in not having a proper look-out kept, but it did not consider that he should pay any part of the costs on this occasion. The Court intimated that in any future cases of deliberate breaches of the collision regulations, a substantial penalty would have to be> inflicted if the warnings of the Court were disregarded.