WRECK OF THE TE AROHA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13876, 13 April 1907, Page 10

WRECK OF THE TE AROHA

JUDGMENT OF THE NAUTICAL COURT. [Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 12. At. the inquiry to-day regarding the wreck of the To Arolia. George Leo said when he went on hoard to start the fires the steam jack cover leaked all round the spring valve. Tho cover could not be depended on. The seat of the valve leaked very badly. There were 4in of water in the stokehold plate when the liros were lit. the first lime. Tho timber of the coal bunkers was very rotten. 110 mentioned' tlicso matters to the. engineer, and told him thev were too bad to leave port with. Henry Weatherilt (recalled) said.ho did not call any .qualified shipwright to assist him in surveying a vessel's hold, having had 12 years' experience himself dealing with wooden vessels. He still said the vessel was fit to bo taken from Auckland to tho Waikato. Tho- court, in its judgment, found that tho provisions of the Shipping and Seamen Act had not been complied with, no certificate or interim rortifiea'„« having been issued. Therefore, the provisions of the act, which requires a certificate to be posted up in a conspicuous .part, of the ship, could not lx> complied with. This was an important tiling to do, because it assured seamen and passengers that till) ship had boon surveyed, and was tit for tho.voyage. In this case the ship hr.d been surveyed, but no declaration was made by tho "surveyors that it was fit for the journey round the Nprtli Cape. Tho court was iatisficd that tho vessel was unfit to undertake tho voyage, tho repairs effected being insufficient, more especiailv in regard ,to the covering board, which, although the most, vital part of the boat, tho evidence showed was rotten. Tho court was satisfied that tho captain, engineer, and crew did all that wa-5 possible under the circumstances, and no blamo was attachable to them. It considered an amendment was required io allow a certificate to be issued at Auckland instead of from Wellington, and also that in tho crso of wooden vessels the surveyor should be assisted by a- competent shipwright. The court held (hat the owner of tho vessel (Mr Ilallot) was responsible, as it was his business to have seen that tho act was carricd out, and to get a certificato from the surveyor. Ho had not aded wrongly intentionally, and if he yas misled he had his remedy at Jaw. The owner was ordered to pay tho costs. Tho captain's certificato was returned.