WAIRONA-MOONAH COLLISION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11250, 15 April 1908, Page 5

WAIRONA-MOONAH COLLISION.

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. The marine inquiry into the circumstances of the collision between the steamer Wairuna- and the ketch Moonah was continued yesterdiiy before Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., and Captains Adamson .and MacKenzie, f,ssessor.s. Mr Mays appeared for the Customs Department, Mr McVeagh for the Union Steam Ship Company, Mr Hanna. for Capt. Robinson, and the other officers of the Wairuna, and Mr McGregor for Capt. De Silva of the Moonah.

Wm. George Krause, one of the crew of the ketch, contiriuing his , evidence, said that, before the collision he .saw the three lights of the steame r when she was close to the Iris. The steamer was com. mg straight towards the bow of the ketch. ''■'.. Malcolm McCallum, chief engineer of the Wairuna,' ..was examined by Mr Hanna regarding the speed of the Wairuna"at. .the time of the collision. He sa,id that at 10.35 the chief officer ". came down to the engine room with orders Irom the captain that the steamer was going to anchor, .is there had been an accident, and a sailing vessel h'adi been sunk: Witness said this was, the first intimation ho had that there 'had been an accident: ■: .' He , felt nothing 'of the collision in the engine room. He heard the steamer's whistle go, .and worked the vessel himself, anticipating: that there might be an emergency call. The full speed of the , Wairuna was lii knots. Anything over half speed in the Auckland harbor- was considered, full speed. On, the night in question -the -.steamer was not going move than 4* to 5^ knots. ! ■•-''•.' • ■ '-> a : To" Mr AlcVeagh : Witness had known Capt. Robinson for 17 or 18 yeans, and had bepn with him six or seven months He (witness) could say of him that he wa.? orie of the most careful njivigators; 111 fact . ne was ahtuiat painfully careful. Ihe officers were very careful and attentive to their -duties. Joseph Morley, chief officer of the Wairuna, g£ive evidence regarding the collision. There was, he said, a wind of sufficient force to blow the scoW across the steamer's stern. Mr McGregor, in the course of .'his cross-exatmination . of the (chief mate, produced two small models of the ves[sels, representing the ketch and the steamer, and; asked the witness to give .a practic.il- illustration. with, them as to how, in his opinion, tho collision occurred. Witness did so. The chairman of the Bench, after w^ching the illustration, remarked : Then the scow must have drifted broadside on to the steamer in your opinion?" Witness: Yes. .'.-

To Mr McGregor : When the impact occurred the engines had stopped. .- Mr Kettle: This is important. At the conclusion of the examination of this witness the inquiry was adjournuntil this morning.