THE ELINGAMITE ENQUIRY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9637, 12 January 1903, Page 2

THE ELINGAMITE ENQUIRY.

i THE CASE AGAINST CAPTAIN AND ! OFFICERS. (Pur Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. W.lii'ii. the Magisterial enquiry into the. 1 wreck (if f,!i.' E'.ingiiiuite was resumed this morning after an adjournment extending , over the holidays, the addresses of counj scl were c^nuuenci'd. I Mr A. J. Tole, appearing for tlio Collector of Customs, m indicating the points he intended to bring out, submitted there was careless navigation by Captain AtI wood up to the tune of the wreck, and ! that carelessness might be reflected on the officers. No proper look-out was kept. The log was defective m its reckoning, and therefore- inaccurate.. There was neglect to bake soundings. There were not proper precautions taken when the circumstances of the position of the steamer were considered. The speed of the steamer should have been reduced, and she should have been, stopped till the position was uscertainable. Secondly, the appliances for life-saving were insufficient. There was also disregard of the regulations. The boats were inefficiently managed. The officers and crew were not ready m nn emergency. Thirdly, a responsibility also rested with the eitgins room, and* the question was wither it wus on the chief or on all. There was not prompt obedience to the order. On the whole of the circumstances there was no reason why the ship should not have gone astern. Counsel appearing for the captain, and engineers expressed dissatisfaction at tha Crown Prosecutor m, not traversing the evidence, and indicating portions which he decided implicated "individual officers. The application of Mr Cotter, who appeared for the. engineers, for the dismissal of Scott, the third engineer, from the proceedings at this stage, on the ground that there was no evidence against him, was declined by the Bench, the Magistrate staling that jud*gment would be given as a whole, when the interest of every officer would be considered.