THE COLLISION NEAR AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1354, 10 February 1898, Page 30

THE COLLISION NEAR AUCKLAND.

MAGISTERIAL ENQUIRY. Auckland, February 8. This morning the Magisterial enquiry into the circumstances attending the recent shipping casualty near Tiri Tiri Island, at the entrance to Auckland Harbour, whereby the Auckland owned barquentine Waitemata was sunk in collision with the steamer' Stella, also of Auckland, was opened. Mr H. W. Brabant, Stipendiary Magistrate, was on the Bench, and with him were associated as Nautical Assessors, Captains John Lucas Clark and John Adamson. Mr Rose, Collector of Customs, was present. Mr J. A. Tole, instructed by Mr Rose, appeared for the Marine Department. Mr Cotter appeared for Captain Nilsson and the officers of the Waitemata, and Mr Theo. Cooper for the owners, captain and first and second engineers of the Stella.

Captain Kennedy, of the Stella, deposed that after rounding North Head the steamer was going about nine knots or a little better. At 2.20 a.m. he left the bridge, having given the man at the wheel (MeNaughton) the usual course. Before he left the bridge he saw Tiri Tiri light. The next he knew—about 15 minutes afterwards —was the collision. He felt a jolt, and then heard a mast falling. That startled him and he came on deck. He then saw a vessel astern on the starboard side. He saw the port light of the Waitemata, but not the starboard. He could not say whi ther it had been carried away in the collision. He at once called out for the mate to take a line to the Waitemata, so as to beach her, but Captain Nilsson said, “No ; if anyone g~>e s, I’ll go.” Witness had never had an accident before. He was not a teetotaller. He had had several drinks of whisky and soda during the day and evening. He could not say whether any of the officers or crew were under the influence of liquor. Cross-examined by Mr Cotter: He could not say that he was sober, but he was not sufficiently under the influence of liquor to be incapable of taking charge of the ship or of doing his duty. He took his vessel away from the wharf, taking the wheel. A look-out was never as a rule kept. He could not tell whether the man at the wheel was under the ii iiueuor of liquor. When wanted by the mui at the wheel the captain was always called by stamping on the deck above the head of his berth, but the wheelman did not do so on this occasion. If he had done so witness would have gone up at once. The vessel carried no liquor aboard. He might have been dozing in his chair for at least 15 minutes before the collision. It was a standing order that if a wheelman saw anything he could alter the course without calling the captain. He had been previously warned about his conduct with regard to liquor by Mr Jagger, the former owner, and Mr Leyland, the present owner of the steamer. Witness then detailed conversations which took place between him and Captain Nilsson, of the Waitemata, but no new facts were disclosed.

Wm. MeNaughton, A. 8., deposed that he had been 10 years on the coast, but this was the first steamer he had been aboard. When the captain was off the bridge he had a look round forward. Witness did not see any light before the collision. It was not a clear night, but dark. He could not see Tiri Tiri light at times for the smoke from the funnel blowing ahead. The captain would not be right in stating that witness could see the barque Waitemata if she had no lights. He could not have

seen her lights two miles off. Witness was not the length of the steamer away from the Waitemata when the helm was starboarded. He saw the captain in the after part of the Stella about ten minutes before the collisior. There was no time to stop the ship, and he had no orders, but would have taken the responsibility if he could have worked the wheel and telegraph at the same time. Witness was in charge of the ship tiil the captain came up. Witness had had several drinks during the evening and night ashore, ginger ale and beer, but was not under the influence of liquor. The Court adjourned till to-morrow. The Waitemata was sold by auction today as she lies in the gulf for £5, not to include cargo. The purchaser was Mr D. Gouk. v i