THE WANAKA ENQUIRY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 999, 24 April 1891, Page 31

THE WANAKA ENQUIRY.

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT.

(per press association.) New Plymouth. April 16. The Court gave its decision on the Wanaka enquiry to-day. The judgment, which was a very lengthy one, reviews thß whole of the evidence. It considers Captain Meades committed an error of judgment in not slowing down and keeping the steamer’s head more to sea, also in not heaving the lead when in a thick haze and approaching land, bat the Court considered neither the captain nor the first officer guilty of negligence. The Court could not take upon itself to say whether the accident was caused by steering, or the attraction of an ironsand coast, or by currents; but would report the matter _to the Marine Department for further enquiry into it. The Court would represent to the Government the neoessity there was for stronger lights being placed at New Plymouth and distinguishing lights at Waitara. The Court returned Captain Meades and the first officer their certificates, but orderedthe Captain to pay the costs of the enquiry, estimated at from £33 to £35, which the Captain intends to ask the Government to mitigate. POSITION OF THE VESSEL. New Plymouth, April 17. The stranded steamer Wanaka maintains her position, and the weather Is still fine. The plant to float her off is expected to-day. New Plymouth, April 18. The plant to float the Wanaka off arrived this morning, also a staff of workmen. The weather is still fine, and the steamer at high water looks as if she was afloat. It. is thought there will be no difficulty in floating her at spring tide. Mr Samuel, solioitor to Captain Meades, has, at the latter’s request, written to the Minister for Marine protesting against the unsoundness of the magistiate’s and assessors’ decision in the case of the Wanaka that he had been guilty of error of judgment, and mulcting £hlm in the costs of the enquiry.; which Mr Samuel, in his letter, says travagant and entirely those which have been previously ordered to be paid, even by offioers whb have been found guilty of fault or negligence, of which Captain Meades, according to the evidenoe, was expressly acquitted,