ERROR OF JUDGMENT MADE

Patea Mail, Volume LIII, 23 March 1934, Page 2

ERROR OF JUDGMENT MADE

HOW HOLMGREN HIT’ EOOK.

CAPTAIN SETI TOO FINE A COURSE.

The story of how the motor ship Holmglcn struck the rocks at Pompey's Pillar near Akaroa on February 17 was told by Captain W. J. Mead, master of the vessel, at a nautical inquiry held before Mr. E. Page, S.M., and Captains L. Worall and F. Dewhurst, assessors, in the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.. Captain Mead attributed the mishap cither to a. set running against the ship or to an error in the log. The court, however, found that he had committed an error of judgment in steering too fine a course and ordered 1 him to -pay £lO 10s towards the cost* of the inquiry. His certiiicate was returned.

"He set substantially the course he had taken on earlier occasions when visibility was good," observed Mr. Page in giving the decision of the court. "Having regard to the relatively low power and speed of the vessel and to the thick fog prevailing 1 think he should have given himself a wider margin of safety." Captain Holm, managing director of the Holm Shipping Co., Ltd., owners of the vessel, said that as a result of the mishap 16 plates had been damaged and the repairs had cost £I6OO.