DUE TO MISADVENTURE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22964, 20 August 1936, Page 12

DUE TO MISADVENTURE

STRANDING OF ABEL TASMAN COURT OF INQUIRY'S DECISION (Per United Press Association) GREYMOTJTH, August 19. The written decision of the court of inquiry into the stranding of the steamer Abel Tasman on July 18 states that both harbour master and the ship'? officers gave strict attention to the safe mooring of the ship. It was not known which mooring carried away first, or whether the moorings parted before or after the starboard cable broke. The evidence did not disclose that the mooring equipment was in any way defective. "The evidence, in our opinion, is not conclusive enough for us to find that the casualty was due to a cause other than misadventure." The court suggests consideration of possible improvements in mooring methods. The use of a port cable as a mooring is considered inadvisable, and instead the court recommends the use of either a five-inch wire mooring or an 18-inch coir spring with a heavy wire tail, which should be made fast on board to the ship's bitts and should have wire manila lanyards to be set up on shore to the mooring post. Where wire is used the ship should be equipped with it, but to meet cases of ships not so equipped, the Harbour Board should provide 18-inch coir springs, the use of such springs to be a charge against the ship. The suggestion that mooring wire be used leading through the hawse pipe is considered not advisable. The court says: "We desire to observe that the port appears to have reached its limit as to the size of the bigger class of ships. It is considered that the former practice here of easing off the stern instead of binding it to the wharf is worthy of further trial. Viewing the whole evidence and the circumstances, we are unable to find that the casuality was caused or contributed to by a wrongful act or default of the master or any of the crew or Harbour Board and its officials or any other person." The master's and the first officer's certificates were returned. No order was made as to the payment of the costs.