SOLGRAN SALVAGE CLAIM

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7318, 23 December 1910, Page 7

SOLGRAN SALVAGE CLAIM

JUDGMENT OIVDX FOB ,£75. PRESS ASSOCIATION. CUKISTCHUBCH, December 22. In the -case in which the master, owners and crew of the steamer Eeomoru claimed from tho barque bolgrau tho sum of £SOO fur saivagb services alleged to have been rendered, the judgment ot Mr Justice Sim was this, morning read to tho representatives of tho parties by the Begistrar of tho Supreme Court. His. Honor, in his j udgment, said that salservices were alleged to have lieen rendered in the estuary of the river Derwent, Tasmania, on April 2*th last, on the evening of which day tho Keomere •took tho Soigran in tow and towed her ' for about two miles. Tho question to ins determined was wliethoi* "tho assistance thus rendered amounted to salvage ser- ’ vice. ’lt was laid down that all services rendered at sea to a ship in distress were salvage services. It was not, necessary that the distress should be immediate and absolute. It was sufficient if at the time assistance was rendered the vessel had encountered any damage or misfortune which might possibly expose her to destruction if services were not rendered. , It was sufficient if there was a state ol difficulty and reasonable apprehension of danger.' His Honor, in reviewing the evidence, said that ho was satisfied that before the assistance of the steamer was offered and accepted the Soigran had drifted still further ’eastward, and that she was then in a position of danger was clear, his Honor thought, from the evidence of Captain Boon, tho superintendent of the Derwent lighthouse. As to tho offer alleged to have been made by tho captain of the Soigran to the captain of tho steamer to give the lastmentioned £2 to pluck tho barques head round, his Honor held that it had not been made out that tho offer was made in euoh a way that the captain of the steamer heard and understood it. Ho thought it highly improbable that Captain 'Calvert, of the Eeemero, would have agreed to accept so small a sum. Iheassistance rendered by the steamer lasted less than an hour,- and looking at all the circumstances his Honor thought that £75 would be a reasonable sum to allow for services rendered. He accordingly made an award for that emu with costs.