LOSS OF SCOW EDNA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18459, 24 July 1923, Page 9

LOSS OF SCOW EDNA.

REHEARING OF SNQUIR Y. FINDING OF THE COURT. MASTER'S ERROR OF JUDGMENT. The rehearing, ordered by the Minister for Marine, of the formal investigation into the loss of the ketch-rigged scow Edna, of 22£ tons, near the North Cape on February 1 last, was . concluded before, -Mr. Justice Herdman, with Captains Fleming and Airey sitting as nautical assessors, in the Supreme Court yesterday. The* original investigation was held by Mr. £. C. Cutten, S.M., in March last, the assessors being Captains Braidwood and Corbet** The Court than found there was no neglect or default on the part of anyone, but expressed the opinion' that such a vessel should have had both anchors ready for use. At the rehearing Mr. V. R. Meredith appeared for the superintendent of mercantile marine, and Mr. Selwyn Mays for. Henry John Burke, the master, and for Nobel's Explosives Company, Ltd., owners of the vessel. Captain William Gordon, surveyor ot ships, said that in November and Decernber, 1922, considerable repairs were done to the Edna's rudder, three iron bolts being used below the water-line. - Those would have no affect on the compass. Cross-examined, witness said there would be considerable hammering to shrink on the iron band to the rudder-head. State of the Compass. . Captain William ' Whiteford ; also expressed the opinion that the repairs would not affect the compass. It would have been safer to have navigated on the adjuster's deviation rather than on that shown by the azimuth taken by the master. . ■' '• ; His Honor: He could not have gone wrong on the westerly deviation?— Cross-examined, witness said a master should take an azimuth to test his compass after the vessel had undergone repairs. At to weatherly qualities, scows were a class peculiar' to themselves. The best judge of what should be done at sea was the man on board the ship. The fact that the master was getting a point to windward showed he was pulling out, which was good seamanship. _ ' William Lewis, able seaman in tho Edna, said he assisted the master in taking the azimuth. From 3 a.m. on-Feb-ruary 1 it would have been impossible to use the deep sea lead. If they had hauled the scow up at midnight she would have made more leeway. Shortening sail would also increase leeway. The master was up all the time. _ Cross-examined, witness said, all on board were keeping : handy that night.' About 11 p.m. the vessel was " a bit raffety." By that he m<iant she was tumbling round. He was - down below reading at midnight. About 3 a.m. it started to look really dirty, «nd, added witness, " I did not go to bed then." Very Bad Weather.

John Wilson, master of the "Waiotahi, stated that on January 31 he was at Kaimarau, 25 miles south of Coal Point, near which the Edna was lost. It was thick, when he tried to enter Ohera. The conditions further north would be very bad. A man might get washed overboard, said witness, in trying to take a sounding with a deep-sea lead on a night like that; Cross-examined, witness said .if the Edna had got another line ashore it might have held the vessel. > • "I would like to see the man in this Court who would try to do it, when seas I were , breaking over, her," said ' witness, when asked whether it would not havo been advisable to have put. out the second anchor. " • James Biddick, who said he had had about 40 years' experience with scows, expressed the opinion that the thing to do was to keep the vessel running before the wind ; heaving-to was the only alternative; Most scow disasters had been due to vessels being caught like the Edna ..was; generallythey ran for it, but here there was nowhere to run to. . Cross-examined, witness said the compass would swing a lot, making it difficult to . keep a: course. Herbert Couldrey, formerly owntir and master of the Edna, gave evidence 'as to the vessel's sailing qualities. . To shorten sail and brings the . vessel; closer to the wind would give more leeway; • it would also bring the sea further on the beam. "Full and free and let her ramp," .was the best way to sail- the Edna. -His Honor said the Court was of opinion that the master. Henry John Burke, committed an error of judgment in not alter-, ing his course more to the northward when heavy weather was threatening between 9 p.m. on January 31, and 3 a.m. on February 1. The Court was also of opinion that the deep-sea lead should have been kept in a place where it could have been obtained at any time when the necessity for its use _ arose; but in . the special circumstances disclosed in v the evidence the Court thought that to have used the lead after, the , ship was hove-to would have served no useful purpose. The Coart did not propose ;to interfere ; with the master's .iertificate, and .made no order as to .costs. • ' , V„.