THE TASMANIA ENQUIRY.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume V, Issue 546, 20 September 1897, Page 3

THE TASMANIA ENQUIRY.

By Telegraph.—Per Press Association. Auckland, Sept. 18. This morning Mr Tole, Crown Prosecutor, submitted that the surveys by Captain Veale and Mr Armstrong showed conclusively that there were no uncliartered dangers in the vicinity of the wreck. There was nothing wrong with the compasses of the steamer. If she were on a safe course, how did she strike inside Table Cape ? These questions plnced a very grave responsibility on the captain and the third officer, who gave a.s reasons for the mishap the strong inset to the westward. This theory, however, must be set aside, for the wreckage was carried northwards to Gisborne, whilo the ebb tide set round the Cape southward. They were driven to the conclusion that the departure from Gisborne as given was not taken, or that the course as given was not adhered to. The point for the Court to decide was, Did the captain set the course as given'?—and was that course kept ? The deviation between the course set and the point w here the captain said the steamer struck was about one mile in ev3ry four on a course of 16 miles. He

submitted that it was clearly proved that the Tasmania struck the outlying jagged rooks north of the peninsula un<l tho cape.

The Court reserved its decision till Tuesday morning. The chief officer, Mr Wilcock, had his certificate returned to him.