WRECK OF THE KIA ORA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13985, 19 August 1907, Page 3 (Supplement)

WRECK OF THE KIA ORA.

FINDING OP THKCdURi' OF INQUIRY.

AUCKLAND, Jiily 23. The finding of the Court of Inquiry on IKc-wreck of ' tho Northern' Company's steamer ICia Ora was delivered tiife morning.' Capkiiu Bkieklbck was entirely exonerated, and the certificates of the sccqnd officer and chief engineer were returned.

.In giving the decision, Mr C. (3. Kettle announced that, it was tho unanimous opinion of the court. The court stated that tho iso'tirse set by the captain on leaving AVaitara Iras proper and safe. There was iib evidoncb to justify the court finding that the compass was but of order; on the contrary, the evidence warranted tte, conclusion that it \ya-3 in good order and. working satisfactorily. Tho court was of op'initiri that tlio evidence did not justify tlm conclusion that the current or set would have carried the. vosdel seven miles out of Ijcr.course.. . It was alleged that the chief bincer (Mr do Wolfe), when ori tlio, bridge,, was iii a ■statii of intoxication, arid xirifit to hav<S charge of tho vesral, and did not carefully watch the.compass and bourse;, that he was off tho bridge for a bbrisiderablb time; arid that while .ho was away- the ijelmsinan (Morris) did riot keep the vessel on her course. No. .allegation was made against the second officer or tuiy.of thb'.b'ther seamen. Do Wolfe admitted that he left tho bridge for i. few minutes, and that hq called the look-out from hi? post .and ordered him to take, charge of the bridgo whilo lib (the mate) wis away. In .the court's opinion, de Wolfo was hot justified in leaving the bridge or in taking tho lookout froth his pbsf. In doing; so ho committed a grave breach of duty, and violated two clauses of the .company's instructions to captains and officers. Having weighed tho, evidence, fho court thought it highly probable that.de Wolfe iv'ds off the bridge betweten 10 o'clock and midnight for a miich longer,time thari ho was prepared to admit, and that during his absence Morris failed to keep the vessel bit the course'.set; or, that, while de Wolfe was. on . the. bridge Kb did., not keep ft vigilant.watch, and see, that the' vessel was kept on heir proper course. Tho second officer, who .relieved de Wolfe at midnight;.stated that during his watch tho course "N.-}E." ,was carefully maintained. Tho court had no reason to doubt the accuracy of his testimony. .. . E,D ,S ari!, ' n K. the .charge of drunkenness riiide against de Wolfe, the court was of opinion, after carefully weighing the whole of the conflicting evidence, that do Wolfe, who adrnittcd_ having had sbmb liquor at Waitara before the vessel left;, was sdiiieU what intoxicated when he took over tho watbh from Captain Blacklock at 10 p.m.. but that it was quite possible .that Captain' Blacklook did not notice his condition. As to whether de Wolfe drank .more 'iquor aboard tlio vessel, it . was obvious that deliberate perjury ,had benn committed either by Cayanagh, or by the chief steward, de Wolfe, arid Ba'ggstrom; It was difficult to find the truth. All that the court could say was ..thai the evidence was not sufficiently cohclusivo and satisfactory to justify them in finding that do Wolfe did drink moro liquor on the vessel after she. sailed.

.The true cause of tile vessel's deviation from hcl' course- had riot been demonstrated to the court's ontiro satisfaction,. the ovijlbhfce not being sufficient tb justify it ih finding that the loss of the vessel was caused by the wrongful aot or default of do Wolfe. The evidence, however; showed that do Wolfe had been disrated; arid later dismissed, for drunkenness. The act provided that if any certificated, officer was, from incbhibb'tehev oV hiisrondiict, unfit to discharge his duties; the Minister might order an inquiry in a court of summary jurisdiction that had power to. cancel has certificate. _ After this report: the Minister might consider'it desirable to direct such an.inquiry to be. held. The evidence disclosed no broach of duty between tlio wreck add tlie landing, biit after landing do Wolfe failed to exhibit proper Application to his duty and responsibility as chief officer in not calling the roll and giving, orders' as to the protection and comfort of the passengers. A cdmplarit that the brew occupied, the best positions under shelter had, been urged, but this had not been established; Some passengers' complained that Dr Wylie did not give due attention to them, but after the doctor's evidence the complaints —which, inthe court's opinion, were made under a misapprehension—were practically withdrawn. The court was satisfied that the doctor did everything possible. A number of amendments were suggested in packet license' law, the principal suggestions being that the owner, instead of the master, should hold the license; and tliat ho liqiior fehduld l:e supplied to an officer or member of tlie orew without the order in writing of tlie master bf the vessel, and that any master or officer in a state of intoxication while engaged in the performance of his dntv shobld be liable to _ a penalty, riot exceeding £100, and imprisonment for not exeeo'ding 12 months. The court ordered the costs of the inquiry to.be. paid by the, Northern pomnanv arid de Wolfe, and forwarded do Wolfe's certificate to,. the .Minister of M'jrirle.,. .The certificates of the second officer (Rbljcrtsoh) sm& tlie chief engineer (Baigstrom) were returned:, The.oomi expressed the liitrhost appreciation of the, services .rendered by the settlers; and ,hoped that their, services would bb suitably recognised and rewarded: . Great credit was given, to Constable M'Carthy and Mr. Holmes' for tlio 'part, they took in assisting tho , settlers, and afterwards. iii scoTolu'ng for the bodies of the. drowned... Tlie .costs bf the inquiry total over £200.