WRECK OF KARU.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19748, 26 March 1926, Page 9

WRECK OF KARU.

INQUIRY CONTINUED. UNSEAWORTHINESS ALLEGED. A SAILOR’S FEARS. (Peb United Pj!es3 Association.) AUCKLAND, March 23. The inquiry into the wreck of the steamer Kara was continued to-day. ENGINEER’S EVIDENCE. George Nelson, engineer on the Karu said he felt the vessel touch a pile when berthing at Whangape, and he afterwards made an examination, but tailed to nna any damage. After leaving Whangape, and when crossing the bar, he felt one slight bump. Later he took soundings, and found two inches of water, in the hold and four in the engine room. ihe soundings were normal, and were taken five minutes after he felt the bump. Soundings were taken every hour, and t.ie speed of the ship reduced. At 10 p.m. when witness left the engine room, the soundings were still normal. Shortly after midnight he was galled out by a fireman, who said the water had increased in the engine room bilges. There wes then about a foot of water, and witness had this pumped out till the bilges were quite dry. He asked that soundings be taken in the hold, and it was discovered that there was 18 inches of water there. The pumps were changed to the hold, but after pumping for half an hour the water had increased to 19 ruches, and, despite continued pumping, the water increased at the rate of two inches au hour, and the ship began to list to starboard. About 7 o’clock in the morning two or three seas swept over the ship affi and smashed in the engine room door. W ater then began to pour in, and further seas opened up a plate in the ship’s side. The waterrose to such a height that the fires were put out, and it was impossible to keep up steam. From then ou it was impossible to control the water, and all hands were ordered on deck. The weather conditions resembled a cyclone, and only occasionally were such gales met with under ordinary circumstances. An ordinarily sound ship should have been able to stand such a sea. Mr Mays: Was not the ship leaking badly before the weather became cyclonic? —Certainly not. Mr Mays; How soon after crossing the bar did she begin to leak? Witness: About 13 or 14 hours. Mr Mays: The bump you felt going over the bar did not alarm you?—No. Mr Mays: Well, why did you take soundings? Witness: It was part of my early ingReplying to Mr Findlay, the engineer said that in spite of a suggestion to the contrary he was convinced there was no leak in the ship when she left Whangape. For the ensuing 17 hours the weather was such that the vessel was subjected to a continued strain. WATER IN BILGES.

James Thomas Kyle, fireman, said that when the Karu crossed the bar there was a severe bump, followed by two light touches. When witness went on duty at midnight he noticed excessive water in the bilges and he started the pumps. To Mr Meredith, witness said he heard a remark at Hokiauga to the effect that there had been water on the skin of the ship. Sanders complained that he could not get the bilges pumped dry because of trouble with the pump, but witness -e----garded this as “ ail ordinary growl over a dirty job.” Mr Mays suggested that seamon Varjonen had said: “ I can’t understand where the water is coming from.” Witness: I don't know who made the remark. ALLEGED RUSTY PLATE. Thomas Halliday said he left the Karu at Hokianga. On the trip north witness had been working in the hold when his attention was attracted by rusty plates on the starboard side, 'ihe surface of a plate had been painted with a tar preparation. Witness tested a rusty section with his pocket knife and pierced a small hole near the water level. He could see daylight through the hole and with the motion of the ship a small jet of water would come through. Witness said he pointed out the faulty plate to Ravenswood, the seaman who was drowned. He then smeared the hold with cement Later witness had a dispute concerning payment for working cargo in the bunkers He made this an excuse to sign off at Hokiauga. Even if the dispute had been settled to witness’s satisfaction he would not have continued the voyage. He had not warned his shipmates as he had already heard them discussing the condition of the ship and he thought that a complaint would result in the refusal of the crew to work the ship. Witness had previously drawn attention to the defect in the ship and for his trouble he just escaped being penalised for inciting a strike. To Mr Mays, witness said he had warned Ravenswood. who said he would try to get ashore at Sydney.

Mr Moody: You considered your own life, but not the safety of the crew. Witness: I looked after myself and would not have gone in the ship for £25. They all knew about the ship. I am not a spokesman, or a sea lawyer. Mr Moody: Will you toll me the name of the spokesman on the ship? Witness: No. Not if you put me in gaol for it. I have been in Sing Sing and in gaol all over the world, and 1 am not ashamed to tell it. Mr Moody: Are you telling the truth? Witness: Yes. I was in Sing Sing for riding on a train. Mr Moody: The crew knew the condition of the ships. Witness: Yes. They were all taking about it, and about how much the union would five then for the loss of their clothes, hey were wondering what the union would pay them. I say that to their faces. Mr Findlay to witness: Did it occur_ to you that you might have found only a weak spot in the ship Witness: Yes. But the hole and the cement is there, and you can find it on the ship now if you look. It was not good enough for me. I don’t want to go to Davy Jones’s locker just yet. Mr Finlay: If I tell you that a brand new plate was fitted in Sydney will you still say you pierced, it. Witness; It was not a new plate. Why not take me up to the ship now and let me point it out. Mr Meredith said that the engineer’s evidence was to the contrary that any repairs had been done to the hull. Mr Finlay; I can call evidence that this was a brand new plate. Witness: I had a “hunch” the ship would never' finish the voyage. Mr Finlay : Voices do talk to you in the night, don’t they? Witness: 1 had a dream that I saved my life. Mr Finlay: And the members of the ship slept with belaying pins under their heads when vou were there? Witness: What do you think I am — “nutty ?” Mr Holmden: It seems that “raflerty rules” prevailed on board. PLATS REPLACED IN SYDNEY. George Alexander Keith chief officer of the Karu, said there was one light bump on the Whangape bar. Witness described the fitting of a new plate in portion of the hull which Halliday alleged had yielded to a knife. This was done in dock in Australia. The Court adjourned until to-morrow morning. I