SYDNEY FERRY DISASTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19798, 19 November 1927, Page 11

SYDNEY FERRY DISASTER.

MARINE COURT INQUIRY. TAHITI SPEED ESTIMATES. COURSES TAKEN BY VESSELS. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyricht. (Received November 18, 9.50 p.m.) A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Nov. 38. The Marine Court set up jointly by the Federal and State Government authorities resumed its inquiry to-day into the disaster to the ferry teamer Greycliffe, which was sunk after collision with the steamer Tahiti. Leslie Blakeney, master of the tug Bimbi, gave eyidence that before the collision he heard two blasts and saw two puffs of steam at the funnel of the Tahiti. This was five seconds before the impact. Witness added that the Tahiti, because of the speed she was travelling, could not have avoided colliding with the Greycliffe when the latter changed her course. Rupert Nixon, a seaman on the Manly ferry steamer Burrabra, said at the time of the disaster he was steering the Burrabra. The Burrabra had to travel 13j knots an hour to keep her schedule. They wore behind the Tahiti, but did not gain on her. He was of opinion that if the Greycliffe had continued without altering her course and the Tahiti had slowed down, there would have been no collision. Arthur Pixley, a passenger on the Burrabra, stated that at the time of the accident the Tahiti was about 500 yds. ahead of the Burrabra. Before the collision the Tahiti appeared to change her course, and he heard a blast of her whistle. Between that time and the collision was only a matter of moments. Tom King, leading stoker on the destroyer Success, gave evidence that when he saw the Tahiti passing the pontoon at Garden Island she was travelling at 13 knots on a course parallel with that of the Greycliffe. He saw the Tahiti change her courso to starboard after passing Clark Island. This caused the Tahiti and the Greycliffe to bo on converging courses. He could seo there was going to be a smash. The Tahiti changed her course to port a few seconds beforo the collision. Witness added that he did not see the Greycliffe change her course. He did not think there was any danger of a collision until the Tahiti changed her course.