NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4740, 23 August 1902, Page 2

NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

THE STRANDING OF THE ORKTI. The reserved judgment, concerning the stranding of the s.s. Oreii at Farewell Spit on the morning of the 15tli insi. was delivered by Mr W. Riiaselden, S.M., as follows; — “At 4 o'clock on tho morning of the 15th August Uio vessel was at a point, some seventeen miles from land, on a ct ;se directly on to the land. The master, who had not been on deck since 11 p.m., was called by the chief officer and given the position. Ho told the chief officer to give the seaman who acted as second Oiocer directions to lake a four point bearing and call him when abreast the light Tho acting second officer, who is not certificated, and who does not appear very intelligent, failed to cal! the master. He took tho bearing and continued his course, anil beached the vessel, from which position, she was extricated by the exertion of the master and crew, after being ashore some twelve hours. Owing to the small number of men employed on the vessel, viz., tho master, one officer, one engineer, four able seamen, two firemen, one cook, one steward, and one boy, tiie vessel had no certificated officer on watch at the time of the casualty, and the seamen in charge of tho dock were negligent, and such negligence was the cause of the casualty. The master was

huso of ( lie casualty. The master was negligent in not personally ascertaining the position at 4 a.in., and in not remaining on dock when ho must have known the vessel Was approaching a somewhat hazardous part of the coast. The vessel was carrying live .stock and two passengers, and great caution was requisite. The vessel carried the bare number of ollicers and men required by law. The practice of leaving a vessel in charge of a lamp-trimmer appears very unsafe. I suspend the master's certificate for three months, and oruer him to pay tlie costs of the inquiry and assessors’ fees £4. 4s, counsel 413 3s, and witnesses’ expenses £1 45.” Mr Myers appeared for the Marino Department, and Mr Skcrrctt appeared for Captain Oscar Jarman, master of the vessel.