STRANDING OF MANAIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 10

STRANDING OF MANAIA.

MISHAP DUE TO SET. . AUCKLAND, June 29. In delivering the finding of the Court of Inquiry in regard to the wreck of the Manaia Mr E. C. Cutten, S.M., said: “The court is of the opinion that the vessel was lost owing to a strong set taking her off her course and poor visibility preventing the vessel’s position from being realised until too late. The court is of opinion that no blame attaches to the master. At the time the master set the eourse and left the bridge visibility was fairly rood and the calm. There was little wind. The course set was one that his experience of many years and that of many other masters making this run had shqwn to he a safe one: and the master, in accordance with his usual custom of leaving the bridge with instructions that he should be called at 11.15 p.m. (when the vessel would be a little way off Slipper Island), could not in ordinary circumstances be deemed imprudent. When the master was called and arrived upon the bridge it was, in fact, too late to save the vessel, this eing partly due to the fact that the set had carried the vessel forw wd, as well as off her course. The master’s conduct after the vessel struck is to be commended. No blame ean be attached to the master, a.ul he has the court’s sympathy in that lie should have this experience after a long and honourable service. “With regard to the third officer, while not blaming him for the loss of the vessel, the court is of opinion that, in view of the fact that he had no previous experience of the Auckland-Tauranga run, he showed over-confidence in not calling the master earlier when, owing to the heavy rain squalls and t he poor’visibility, and his want of experience on the run, he might reasonably hr.ve thought it likely he w r ould be unable to pick up Slipper Island at a distance which would be a check upon his position. This comment is subject to the modification that, as mentioned before, the se.. had apparently carried the vessel forward as well as off her ourse. and he may have thought, with some :ustification, that the vessel was further Yom Slipper Island than she was, and that the time the master had directed he should be called at would be soon enough. Yet, nevertheless, the court is of opinion that, in the circumstances, he was wrong in not calling the master earlier, and the comment tands, though no order will be made in regard to his certificate, nor as to costs.”