LOSS OF THE DUCO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14699, 6 December 1909, Page 2 (Supplement)

LOSS OF THE DUCO.

RESULT OF THE INQUIRY. v WELLINGTON, November 25. j: The finding of the Nautical Court of j Inquiry into the loss of the fishing steamer I Duco, which left Wellington for the t Chatham Islands on September 7, and was 1 never more heard of, was delivered to-day. <j Mr M'Arthttr delivered his decision as ' follows:— ''The steamer trawler Duco left ' the port of Wellington for Waitaugi, { Chatham Island, at 1.30 p.m. on Tues- , day, September 7 last, on a fishing ex- { pedition. She bus not arrived at her t destination. Everything has been done to i ascertain her whereabouts, but without t success. The evidenco shows that at 9 ' o'clock ou the evening of her departure c a strong southerly gale set in, with a ' maximum of force'about midnight. I am i of opinion that she foundered at sea, and in all probability on the night of her departure. lam oi opinion that the Duco, when leaving the port of Wellington, was ; not in a condition to encounter such perils ■ of the sea as she might be fairly expected I to encounter in going to the Chatham ' Island. I consider that being laden, . as she was, with a deck cargo of 10 tons of coal not lashed, a 400gallon tank full of water, some timber, and some concrete blocks was surlicicnt to render a ship of the Duco class unfit to encounter the perils referred to, and hence, ordinarly speaking, " unseaworthy." I order that the Wellington Harbour Ferries Company (Ltd.) pay to the Minister of Marine the sum of £14 ss, the expenses of the investigation," Captain Gray and Mr M'Lcan both concurred in the decision. Mr Dalsiel said he understood there was no right of appeal in such a ease. His Worship : I understood there was. Mr Young: There's a, right of rehearing. His Worship: Yes, that's it—a right of rehearing before the Supreme Court. Mr Dalziell: The trouble the company was in, your Worship, was that there was no expert evidence as to what the Duco really could carry. Captain Bcndall gave evidence of this, but the company was unable to bring any expert evidence to compare with his. It is on this ground that any application for Tehearing may bo made.