AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 10018, 8 December 1908, Page 1

AUSTRALIAN NEWS

lUv Electric Telegraph.—Cnryninrrr.] (Per 3?ress Association'.) Received December 7, at 10.5 p.m. Sydney, December 7. In the Vice-Admiralty Court judgment was delivered in the cases arising out of the Wairuna-Miutaro collision on October 7th, both parties claiming £6OOO. The Judge said a mistake was made on board the Mintaro in not keeping a proper lookout. Ti;e captain, by exercising ordinary care, could have avoided any risk of collision. He thought, therefore, his negligence was one of the proximate causes. He was further of opinion that the captain of the Wairuna was guilty of neglect and of omission to take 6iicli reasonable precautions as the circumstances of the case required, wliich, to some extent-.: was the cause of the collision. lie should have taken more than usual precautions to warn vessels coming up behind him. Had these precautions—wliich were no more than were reqnired by the exercise of ordinary care—been observed the collision could have been avoided. lie should have kept a proper look-out astern, pte held that both vessels were to blame, and the party whose vessel sustained the smaller damage would have to pay the other the balance of a moiety of the loss of the other. The parties are to pay their own costs. Received December 8. at 1.10 a.m. Sydney, December 7. Violent thunderstorms in the Wagga and Albury district interrupted communication with the southern States. The Australasian tennis championship meeting has commenced. In the singles Parker beat Jones, 6 —4. 6 —l, 6—l, 6—5. Doubles —Wilding and Sharpe beat Campbell and Fisher, 6—5, 6—4, 4—6, 6—l. Hobart. December 7. Mr Nicoiis, Leader of the Opposition, has been appointed third Judge. The position was offered to Mr Dobsou, Agent-General, but refused.