THE AOTEA FIRE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8052, 30 October 1897, Page 2

THE AOTEA FIRE.

• Auckland, last night: In giving judgment of. the Court of Nautical Enquiry as to . the fire on. the schooner Aotea, Mr Brabant, S.M., said the evidence did not enable the Court to determine the cause of the fire. He and' the Assessors went . on board the schooner in Auckland and examined the vessel, but shehad been so altered since the fire that the Magistrate and Assessors were not.ni'aiierially assisted by the examination. In Mr Brabant's opinion the enquiry, if thought necessary, should have taken place before the repairs were commenced. No wilful default or negligence on the part of the master or any of the crow had been shown. -Whil% the cause of the outbreak could not be definitely ascertained, yet it appeared to the Court that the condition and fittings of the engine .room on the schooner before: the firevw.ere such as to render an outbreak of 'fire "not improbable, The bulkheads were of .wood; and so impregnated, with, kerosene; and kerosene gas as to be Very inflammable. Kerosene was stored in the room and cotton waste was kept in an open tin. The vessel was much infested with rats, 1 which had easy access into the engine room. No doubt the lining of the engine room with asbestos and iron • had made it much safer than it. wasbefore, but the Assessors were of opinion that it was still dangerous, and Mr Boyd, one of the Assessors, made certain suggestions for improving the engine' room. The' Court did not think, however, that it would be fair to impute the absence of. any or all of the precautions mentioned to the master or engine driver as negligence, because these oil engines had only lately come into use, and it did not appear that other vessels had adopted similar precautions, nor were there at the; time any regulations for ; ttfeMjße' : 6f oil engines in vessels. . The master's certificate, therefore,' was returned to him. • The Assessors considered that the oil tank was faulty in construction ; that no kerosene should be stowed in the engine room ; ''and that oily cotton waste should be kept in an iron locker. . Mr J.- R; Reed, who appeared for Captain ; Skinner; promised that* the suggestionsmadeby'tnVAssessors would be attended to. Captain Skinner's certificate of competency was then handed back to him.