SINKING OF SCOW

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22463, 6 July 1936, Page 12

SINKING OF SCOW

THE KAIAIA INQUIRY VOYAGE TO TAURANGA NO BLAME ATTRIBUTED LEAK SPRUNG IN HEAVY SEA [nY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON' Sunday The view that the auxiliary scow Kaiaia, of 45 tons, was lost on March "3. when proceeding from Auckland to Tanranga, through striking a submerged log or a piece of timber and springing a leak which could not be checked by the use of the pumps, is put forward in the report of the Nautical Court which inquired info tho loss of the vessel. The report has been made to the Minister of Marine, the Hon. P. Fraser, by Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., who presided at the inquiry, and has the concurrence of Captain D. Bell, Captain E. W. Norton and Mr. E. It. Lane, who acted as assessors. Seaworthy Condition The Kaiaia was owned by the Aspden Shipping Company, Limited, of Auckland, and on the voyage on which she was lost was commanded by Captain H. S. Aspden. The report states that when the vessel left Auckland she was in a good and seaworthy condition. She was fully provided with life-saving appliances as required by law, and was properly manned. The cargo consisted of general merchandise and petrol, stowed in the hold, and 30 drums of petrol stowed on deck. The cargo was properly secured, and the vessel was properly loaded.

"The evidence is insufficient to find definitely the cause of the leak which caused the vessel to sink," the report continues, "but the Court is of the opinion that the vessel probably struck a submerged log or piece of timber ■when beating against a heavy sea, and, her forward timbers opening, she leaked too rapidly for the pumps to save her. The loss of the ship was not attributable to the wrongful act or dofault of any person." Driftwood and Logs In an annex to the report, it is stated that the theory regarding the cause of the sinking was put forward ,by members of the crew, and the Court agreed with them. There was a considerable amount of timber, driftwood and logs on that p?irt of the coast at the time, as a result of the scouring of rivers and streams by a severe storm just previously. The Court was of the opinion that tho master and crew behaved in every way in a proper manner in the circumstances.

The Kaiaia foundered in hefivy seas off. the East Coast in the vicinity of Castle Rock, spme seven miles south of Mercury Bay, early on the morning of March 20. After gruelling spells at •two hand.pumps, the crew of five were finally forced to abandon ship, and the Kaiaia sank almost immediatelj in about 30 fathoms of water. Under shortened sail and with her engines running slowly ahead, tho ves* sel was pitching into big seas when it was discovered she had sprung & leak. In spite of efforts to keep her afloat, the scow settled, and the seas, running the full length of her decks, swept overboard two Maori members of the crew. They were picked up later, however, after the dinghy had been launched. The master and the crew of four reached Hot Water Beach in the 12ft. dinghy.