THE TAINUI INQUIRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17296, 21 October 1919, Page 8

THE TAINUI INQUIRY.

CONSTRUCTION OF HOLDS,

EVIDENCE OF ANALYST.

" TWO FATAL OBJECTIONS." 0? TELEGBAPH.— ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. The nautical inquiry into the Joss by fire of the coastal steamer Tainui at Core I Bay, on September 16. by which eight 1 members of the. crew lost their lives, j waa continued to-day. James Powell, who was engineer on the Tamui up to November last, said the insulation was poor. He had seen damaged i parts patched with wood from kerosene' cases. The Tainui was not suitable foi»' carrying benzine. Her bilge, running fore ! and aft, was absolutely dangerous with benzine cargoes. Witness wrote direct to I the company, calling attention to the I state of the afterhold. which was dan. i gerous from a fire point of view. Witness ! Jound the complaints were not attended ; to. Me knew that one branch shippino I manager did not forward to t',» head office a letter of complaint written bv I witness and the engineer, the main reasons given being that the manager did i not consider it necessary. The refrigerating machinery of the lamai was first-class. He thought the l pumice used in the vessel's insulation was I CWf u S ,^ at °" esl "bition in the Court. The bulkhead door leading into the engine-room was not partially adjusted until he put bolts in, and 'for a ! period he packed the side door with oakum. He did not report as to the danger subsequently, because he con- I sidered complaints would not be heeded fiJSST?' T ltness Mid the lette «" not forwarded to the head office referred to wages paid to firemen and engineers Wit ness was the only person in the Tainui's engine-room. When he rested on a trip I the fireman was in charge. i announced its intention of visiting the wreck in order to ""certain | f„;, if Ins " ,at,on of the holds consisted of and ho-v it was constructed. Powell said that the model (produced) I of a section of the insulation"of the bulk- I heads was not correct. I In reference to the allegations mAle bv certain captains employed in the refrigerating company's vessels that thev were ' ordered to sail through Cook Strait by ! night while the daylight sailing regulations were in force, Mr. Raymond. K C who appeared for the Minister for Marine' produced the official log-book of the Maim, one of the company's vessels This showed that the Mana had frequently sailed through Cook Strait by night while j the regulations were in force. As far as ! could bo ascertained, the Tainui had also sailed through the Strait by night on '■ several occasions. * j The President: What the Bench cannot ] understand is why the Marine Department did not take action in the matter. Alexander A. Bickerton, Government analyst, described the materials of which the holds of the Tainui were made. The holds were unsuitable for the carriage of benzine. The materials were inflammable and absorbed benzine, two fatal objections J

Neil 0. Hood, Government surveyor of ships, said he surveyed the Tainui at Lyttelton on May 1 last. She was built of nrst-claas material, was well constructed and sound, as also was the insulation. He considered the disaster had occurred through benzine fumes getting into the confined space between the insulation and the skin of the ship. As the Tainui had been carrying benzine prior to the disaster it was probable that liquid benzine had soaked through the insolation and vapourised. fhe fumes would then move towards the outlet under the bulkhead and into the bunkers. He was of opinion that after the tires had been cleaned out on the morning of the disaster the tools uj:d, which would be red-hot, were put beiween the boiler an! the bunker, wi'h the red-hot end resting on the plates of the floor. This red-hot point would ignite the benzine vapour with which it came in contact. The fire would pas* through the timbers to the bilges along under the forward hold, and the explosion would probably take place in the confined spare under the hold.

The inquiry was adjourned till to-mor-row, when the visit to the Tainui will take place. The hearing of the evidence will then be concluded