THE YACHTING ACCIDENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5482, 10 January 1905, Page 7

THE YACHTING ACCIDENT.

FINDING OF THE JURY. TUB PROPOSED LIFEBOAT SERVICE. SUPERVISION OF YACHTS. i:x i‘krt opinion on hoi ii QUESTIONS. When tlm inquest concerning Hie death of Hoi ace Holiday, one of tlio young men lost by the. iouiulering ol Hie yacht Tea Ilosi on Monday, January 2nd, was resumed yesterday, some important evident*, bearing on I ho quesI ion of a lifeboat .sendee and tlio supervision of yaebts teas given. '1 be opinions arc those of experts, and as snob have considerable value. One or two points which have given disc to a good final of discussion were also cleared. Tlio District/ Coroner (Mr Janies Ashcroft; presided. Mr H. li. Bridge was foreman of the jury, find Suh-Inspector O'Donovan represented tlio police. A. YACHTING EXPERT. Robert Charles Kenner, rear-com-modore of tile I’ort Nicholson A adit flub, said lie knew the Tea Koa well. Sim was a boat of about one ton and a half. The Coroner: Would you consider her safe in crossing tlio Straits with three people ? Witness; Hardly, considering the weather usually experienced in tlio •SI rails. Was she a good boat ?—Yes. Did she belong to tlio yaclit club?— Yes. Are you aware she crossed the Straits before?—No; 1 am not aware that she did. She was safe enough for the harbour? -Yes, Have you any regulations in legat'd in life-saving appliances in your club? — Vos. Hide 30 says; “Every yaclit shall at least carry, as the committee may determine, one or more lifebuoys, which shall be periodically inspected by tlio committee, and passed if sound.'’ He was not awaro that there was any particular direction to the committee in regard to this yaclit. If there wore any ' reports to make they were made to the committee by tlio responsible officer (the secretary). The Coroner: I suppose that regulation would apply to the harbour? Witness: Yes. And would he enforceable in. regard to tlio channel? —Certainly. Continuing, witness said there was another regulation in regard to racing, which said that a lifebuoy was to be carried on deck ready for use. SV> far as a lifeboat, service was concerned, !io bad no doubt, a lifeboat at Seatoun would have been of some value, and would probably have saved one of the young men who were drowned. The Coroner: If it was properly manned. Witness: Quite so. Do you think a lifeboat at Island Hay would bo of any use?—Not in this case. Do you think any signal nob to outer I bo port could be. raised at tlio Heads? —Yes, but it would have been of little use in this case. Why?—Because they would have been 100 closo to the Heads before it was visible. It would depend on the size of tlio beacon?—Yes; but once a boat, ran miller Sinclair Head .she could not bo turned back with safety. Proceeding, witness said that, although the keel was off the yaclit when she finin' ashore at Pot one, ho did not think tlio boat had struck Barrett’s llccf. Tho keel was probably knocked off when she struck I ho bottom after sinking. Tlio Coroner: Can you suggest any moans of making such accidents less probable?—Well, I understand there is nothing to prevent a person risking his lifo so long as he does it for pleasure, ft would require special legislation. Was not Tanner stopped when about to leavo in his extraordinary boat?—• Yes, hut, I take it that was a commercial venture. The foreman; Yes. and lie was taking a crew. Witness was of opinion that a signal not to enter tlm Heads could not ho road in time to lie- acted upon. Sub-Inspector O’Donovan: Do you know if there was a lifebuoy on board tho Tea Koa?—l could not say. Was it reported to tlio club that slio was not provided with a lifebuoy?—No. A HAZARDOUS EXPERIMENT. Cloorgo Martin, employed in the GenBra I Post Office, said lie was on board tlio Mararoa, on Monday, on her Picton • trip. They passed tho yacht Tea Roa off Sinclair Head about a quarter past ton o’clock. She was making excellent weather, and appeared to bo very well handled, though perhaps slio had too much sail. 1 The Coroner: Had yon any thought of danger to her?—Witness; Well, with the sail slio was carrying, I thought it was dangerous for her to attempt to enter. Iu fact, you did not think sho was safe to cross the Straits at all?—Sho was rather small. Did yon coma near enough to speak her? —Wo passed about four hundred yards from her. Tlio Mararoa passed on tlio seaward side. Proceeding, ho said ho had had experience of all sorts of craft during tho past forty or fifty years, and seldom had seen a wor.se sea. At the same time, it was not one which excited any apprehension in Ids mind. Ho could not say if Captain Manning had given any warning, and doubted if those on board the yacht would have taken any notice if ,lio had done so. It would have been a risky proceeding to have turned hack. Personally, lie would have endeavoured 1 to enter the Heads if ho had been in their position, rather than go hack ; through tlio “rip.” Tho yacht’s crow could have put her about with safety \ under the rig she bore, but tlm danger j lay in running through tho “rip.” I A MASTER MARINER. ( Captain Manning, of tho Mararoa, , said lie went out in his vessel on an ex- ■ enrsion to Picton on January 2nd. The . sea at the Hoads was what ho would ] call “considerable.” 'Tlio Coroner: Was it not very heavy ? i Witness; No. ■ i And when you got outside tho Heads? i —lt kept 1 the same till we got well off ! the shore, 1 ■ls it true that you said yon would ( turn back with tlio Mararoa if you , could?—When? It has been reported that you said 1 you would turn hack if yon could, hut i for the fact that the Union Company would lose tlio passenger-money?—lt is ( not true. I was on tlio bridge, and no- 1 body but an officer was with me. I

Do you consider there was any clanger?—To my vessel, no. You saw a small yaebi ?—’l os, she was well to tlm westward of Sinclair Head, almost, abreast, of Karori Rock, and about, nine miles off shore. Was sho making good weather?—She seemed to lie -ailing .".long comparatively comfortably. Was tin* sea rough there? —It anything, a little less (ban at the Heads. Did you notice that slio was ovorsailcd ?—She was carrying whole sail. Was she well handled?—l could not tell. Did she appear in any danger ?—» e l. Hie direction sho was taking would bring her into worse weather than she wiis then in. „ Did yon (ake any steps to warn them .' I waved to them from the bridge to turn back. Would they understand you?—lt, was Hie la-l I could do. 1 took my handkerchief and waved, at. Hie same time calling out, “Go back! Go back!” You did call out?—Yes, hut I doubt whether they heard mo. What, distance were they off you?— About three hundred or four hundred yards. Could vou not gel: nearer to them?— Well, 1 bad my own .ship, with sixteen hundred passengers on board, and I na.s nursing my vessel to keep her Horn roll"'r„ get to tho yaclit. you would have I,o ’ll obliged to divert your course someulial?— 1 would have bad to put my vc--el almo-l beam to tlio sea. Would they have understood a flag signal ?—They would not have a book on board. Would a motion of tlio hand bo visible or understandable?—They saw me miming hack along tho bridge and waving backwards. fit reply to a juryman, Oaptaui Manning said tho Tea Roa would not havo been in tlio slightest danger if site had turned when ho signalled to her. Site was miles outside tho “rip,” and could havo turned back even an hour alter he passed. The Coroner asked if witness could havo done any more if those on board tho yaclit disregarded his signal. Captain Manning answered that lie had liis own vessel to look after. One lady had had a leg broken, and several minor accidents had occurred, and he could not do anything that would alarm tlio passengers or cause tho vessel to roll. Ho would havo blown lito whistle, but was afraid ’ o do anything that might can.sc_a panic. Ho passed tho Tea Roa at 9.55. On tho question of lifeboats, Captain Manning said, ho did not think a lifeboat could havo got anywhere near the drowning men unless they drifted a long way up the harbour. Tlio Coroner: Could a signal bo hoisted? —Witness: It could bo hoisted, but it would be no good. Why?—Because they could not stop out. In that particular locality, in weather like that experienced on Monday, a small vessel would have to come in. There would bo no alternative?— Only to run ashore. Tlio Foreman: How far away could a signal bo seen?—With tho naked -eye not more than thr-so miles, and that in ordinary weather. Tlio Cormier: I suppo.se a signal would havo to he away down towards Sinclair Hoad to bo any good?—That' would bo impracticable. Or at Island Bay?—That would be too far in. The Coroner .said that Captain Manning had certainly done everything m his power; that was perfectly evident. THE YACHT’S DEPARTURE. W. W. R. Wilson, brother of one of the young men who was lost, said lie was with the ill-fated yachting party on tlio Saturday evening prior to tho accident. Alb.were experienced yachtsmen. They had no lifebuoy or lifebelt, but, carried a barometer. Witness had heard his father urging his brother not to go. The weather was calm when they left, for Pieton. The boat was called the Tea Roa, and was well found in every respect, with the exception of tho topping-lifts, which were not on board, but which it was intended to put on on tlio way to Soatoun. The party, ho understood, left Seatoun between 8 and 9 o’clock on Sunday morning. They had previously put to sea without a lifebuoy—in fact, he never saw them carrying one. Tlio Coroner: That is wrong; there is a, regulation saying they must do so. Sub-Inspector O’Donovan: Yes, but it bad never been reported to the club. In answer to questions by the Coroner, Captain Post interposed. at this stage that the absence of topping-lifts would bo a serious matter when running before a gale. Continuing his evidence, witness said ho had been out in tlio yacht frequently. He was pretty certain she had never been inspected by the secretary of tho Yachting Club. David Brand, clerk in the office of Messrs Macdonald. Wilson and Co., . gave formal evidence about seeing the party shortly before they left for Picton. THE LIGHTHOUSE-KEEPER’S EVIDENCE. A. Hansen, principal keeper of Pcncarrow Heads lighthouse, said ho saw tlio yacht about 11.15 on Monday morning, coming into the harbour under full sail, and he thought slio was in danger, but had no means of warning her. Of course, he had a code of signals, but was under the impression they would have no knowledge of them. Witness then detailed the circumstances of the accident, which have already been fully set forth in tho press. Ho did not think the boat struck Barrett’s Reef. Ono of tiio men was drowned almost immediately, and tho last at 12.25. So far-as he was concerned, it was impossible to render any assistance, hut ho was under tho impression at tho time that a steamer like the Duco might have been sent out to their assistance. Tlio Coroner: Did yon telephone it through?—Witness: Yes, immediately. Tlio Exchange rang up the Harbour Board and the latter communicated with the police. Even if some recognised signal could havo been raised, it was doubtful in tills case if they could have gone back. Tlio Harbour Board’s launch attempted to go to tlio assistance of the drowning men, but she was not large enough. Tlio Loyalty also made an attempt, hut returned. Ho did not think , she was largo enough. Tlio Duco would : have been tho boat to send out. Sub-Inspector O’Donovan: Do yon tli ink it would havo been safe for a , steamer to have entered tho water where they were struggling?—Witness: ! I am not awaro of the soundings three , hundred yards from tlio reef, but I think it would have been safe for a | steamer like the Duco. ' Could Hie Duco have got there in ‘ time?—l think so, but it would ho a ! very closo call. 1 If tlio Loyalty had continued her attempt, would she havo boon in time to have saved the last man ?—Yes. 1 Continuing. witnc-?s said the Loyalty <

apparently put cut Iron) Seatoun. It would take tho Duco three-quarters ol , an hour to gel from the wharf to the place where the yacht sank. •Suh-liK-pector O’Donovan painted out that tho Duco. therefore, could not . have reached tlio men m time to save ■ them. The message Irom the light-house-keeper was received at 11.-15. and, according to Mr Hansen himself, tlio hist man was drowned at 12.20. Ho made this statement because some people had endeavoured to blame tlio harbour officials. Further questioned, witness said ho did not think a, lifeboat would he of much use in the heavy southerlies at the ■ Heads, unless it had mechanical power. There was also the difficulty of getting a, crew. It a ould bo very hard t o • scrape up one. If tho Harbour Board cs launch could possibly have reached the : drowning men, site might have been in ■ time to have saved iwo of them, but 1 sho was far too small, and to have persisted in tho attempt, would havo meant ■ another disaster. Ho was certain the two men who continued struggling in ■ the wall r would havo been saved if they had lifebelts. The yacht was in his opinion, carrying too much sail. Iho ■ boom was sagging too deeply down, and she appeared to have no topping-lifts. - This would cause the sail to sag, and ' help to upset, the boat. CAPTAIN POST'S EVIDENCE. Captain Post, iu charge of thoTutane- - kai, gave evidence that tlio Marine Department some years ago- drafted regulations; governing boats plying for hire and yachts, and submitted them to the various Harbour Boards of tho colony, but they were never given effect, to. Witness teas not aware that tho department had any legal control over yachts, unless it was reported that a certain boat was unsafe or unscaworthy. Tho Coroner: Do you think it would havo boon possible for a steamer to have reached the men in forty-throe minutes?—Witness: Yes, she might havo reached them if she had been cent away promptly. Witness, continuing, said a boat (after sho got into the position where tho Tea Roa was first seen by tlio lighthousekeeper) could not possibly have tinned back with safety. She had either to come in or go ashore. He did not think a semaphore would be of any use in signalling vessels not to enter tho Heads. It could not bs seen ut a gr-outor dis- ■ tunc© than three miles with tho naked ■ eye. on the question of lifeboats, ho agreed with the other witnesses. At Island Bay a lifeboat would be out of place and useless, and while at fcca- , toun a lifeboat might be of ■ great use for any casualties 00. . curring inside or about tho Hoads it would hot he possible to i launch a surf-boat at Poncarrow. In his opinion, what was required nas a rocket and mortar apparatus at Seatoun 1 and PencaiTmv. They had them at Westport and Grcymouth, where very ■ ’•ajlnu.blu -service was rendered. Ho : contrasted the difference in tho poast lino of New Zealand with that at ■ Home'. In England there was danger from quicksands and other tilings, but . hero iu New Zealand they had deep i water to within a quarter of a mile of . the coast and then broken water. In his opinion, it would he- a great pity to hamper yacht clubs, or make, them comply with Marino Department r-ogu- ■ bilious; but when going outside restricted limits they should bo compelled to obtain a permit from the Harbour Board or Marino Department before doing so-. Tills would nob ho a hardship—it would he a safety. The Coroner: Would you say every yacht going outside restricted limits .should carry a lifebelt for everyone on board?—Yes. That would require special legislation? —A'es ; I presume an act would havo to ho passed. He further stated that if the yacht was taking, say, two persons across tho Straits for a consideration in money, the person iu charge would havo to comply with all the marine regulations regarding equipment, etc. He did not think the Tea Roa was a fit yacht to cross the Straits with such weather as they frequently had there. A HARBOUR BOARD OFFICIAL. George Edwards, toll dork in tlio service of tho Wellington Harbour Board, said ho received a Telephone message about tho accident from tho lighthousebeeper at Bencarrow about 11.45 on January 2nd. Ho immediately rang up tho Police Station. The watch housekeeper said he. would confer with the Inspector. Witness then rang up Mr Ferguson, secretary of the Board, who gave instructions to ring up the engineer of the launch, while ho (Mr Ferguson) said he would ring up the pilot. Tho launch was . under way about twelve or thirteen minutes past 12 o’clock. Tho Duco was away at the time on her way to Day’s Bay, and there was no other vessel available. Witness accompanied the launch. Ho did not know until they had gone a good way out that sucli a heavy sea was running. They- could not get within a milo and a half of tho place where tho accident was reported to have taken place. He was sure neither tho Maponrika (which had not steam up) nor tiic Duco could have faced the sea that was running. Witness was since told by Mr Ferguson that he had also rung up Worsor Bay to have a boat (cither the Admiral or Loyalty) sent out from there, and an answer was received that it would Ito done. They saw the noats there as they passed. The lighthonsckeeper afterwards told witness it would havo been impossible to havo reached the drowning men. SOMETHING ABOUT THE YACHT. Charles Morse, a member of the crew' of the Ton. Roa, said the boat carried no lifebelts. On tho day of tho accident topping-lifts would havo been of no use, because at tho time of the mishap tho boat had the sea running over her stern, and if the boom had been lifted with a topping-lift it would have made a bag of tho mainsail, which would have filled with ©very sea and helped to sink the vessel. Ho was not awaro of the Tea Roa having been inspected by the secretary of tlio Yacht Club. Ho would havo considered it quite safe to cross tlio Straits in tho. Tea Roa iu fair weather. Witness was, on tho Mararoa on Monday, and sawi the yacht passing. Ho signalled by Morse code with his handkerchief to toll tho yacht's crew to keep well up to tho windward off tho “rip,” but they did not appear to see the signal, as no acknowledgment was received. Witness did not think Captain Manning could havo done any more than ho did. If witness had been on board tho yacht ho would not havo tacked about, but would havo endeavoured to enter the harbour. Tho sail the yacht was carrying was too- ■ much to enter iho Heads with, but tho : spread was all right at tho time. The • amount of canvas sho was carrying had 1 probably something to do with the sinking. THE CORONER’S COMMENTS. In summing up the evidence, the Coroner said there certainly had been extreme rashness in endeavouring to.

enter the Heads in such weather on tho part of the three unfortunate young men who had lost their lives in such tragic- manner. Tlio Yacht Club had made some regulations on paper, hut it was apparent tho secretary had neglected his duty in regard to seeing that lifebuoys were carried. The jurymight well .frame u rider urging that the regulations .should bo strictly enforced and discouraging the practice of - crossing the Straits in such small craft. Sub-Inspector O'Donovan, in explaining what tlio police had dune, said that lie laid communicated with Seatoun, and was informed tlio Loyalty was; goi ing out. Later the captain of that boat stated that he had received a flag-signal message from somebody to go hack to tho wharf. Ho (Air O’Donov.ui) had also communicated with tho officials of (ho Patecna, but it was too late to do anything. In cases of the kind, where a launch was unable to go out, the police had to depend on the generosity and goodwill of people and companies owning boats. THE VERDICT. Just after 3 p.m. the jury returned the following verdict: —‘‘That deceased was drowned by a boating accident at Wellington Hoads on January 2nd, 1905, with two others; and that .such death was by misadventure and without blame to anyone.” The following rider was added: — “That it be a recommendation to the Port Nicholson Yacht Club to sec that their regulations with regard to the efficient equipment of yachts under their control with buoys, with the addition of lifebelts thereto, is rigidly observed; also that they might extend their influence in this direction to, as far as possible, all owners of. yachts and sailing boats. That tho jury is of opinion that some limit of tonnage of privately-owned yachts should he fixed, below which they should not ho allowed to cruise outsido restricted limits without a special permit from, the Marino Department.”,