STAR OF CANADA.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12816, 16 July 1912, Page 4

STAR OF CANADA.

MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY, YESTERDAY'S SETTING. The hearing of evidence at the nautical inquiry before Mr W. A. Barton, S. ; M-.,. and: Captains F. Post and A. D. Chnsp, respecting the stranding of the Star of Canada on Sunday, June 23, was continued yesterday afternoon after our issue went to press. When our report closed, Mr G. B. Hoddinott, the third officer, was giving evidence. Continuing his narrative, Mr Hoddinott stated that findinp the sea increasing and, a squall comiA he called Capt. Hart, as instructed, (atrio.4o p.m.) He came on the bridge at once, and ordered him to call the chief officer and tell him to come on the bridge, also the chief engineer to get ready to get* under weigh as soon as possible. He came to the conclusion they were going to sea. It was 10.45 (when he gave the instructions to the chief engineer, and returned! to the bridge about two minutes later. He was then able to see the shore marks. Just after 11 o'clock a very heavy squall struck them-^-wind and blinding rain and hail. It obscured all land marks. That was jusfc after 11/ 'The captain sent, him along; to the chief engineer to hurry along with the steam. It was 11.10 when he was m the engine room. 'It Was the first squall of its force that evening.When he returned to the bridge ne noticed the bearings had altered a good deal, the squall having passed over enough to see the land. Directly after he returned 1 to the bridge he heard orders to let go the port anchor. Just afterwards 'he felt a slight bump. As . soon as the bump occurred the porfc anchor order was countermanded, and instructions wer6 given to heave away on the starboard anchor. At the same time, the port 'engine was put, full speed astern. The ship appeared to swing a little, but she was steadily going shorewards. The bumps were more noticeable. The engines were continued ttntdl 19 past midnight, ' when they were stopped; and the port anchor let go; The squall that came on ai 11 o'clock 1 was more severe than 'the others, very much more so. He should say it was of "hurricane" force, as classed by the Board of Trade. The heaviest part lasted- seven or eight minutes. The barometer had been rising all the time. Up till 10.30 the sea was moderate, and lighters could have remained alongside. The indications during his watch were of approaching good weather. Until 'the last heavy squall there was nothing m the weather oonditiotns to all&rm him or suggest it was inpriident to remain at anchor. When the captain went down at 10.30 he expected him back a little later. Witness added that it was "his first trip with Capt. Hart. He called Captain Hart because he left instructions to do so when there was the slightest change, and there was that change. Captain Itart was a man fwjho insisted upon his smallest orders being carried out. His experience with' Cap-; tain Hart was that his ship was always his first consideration. Wm. Percy Greshen, fourth officer, said he held a second mate's certificate. He was not on watch at the time of the accident, but he was awakened, by the shock when the vessel touched. He went up on deck, and noticed her bearings were more open than where she had been anchored- The captain instructed him to sound all round the ship, which he did, for a couple of hours. He let Captain Hart know the results. Thomas Gore Brooke, chief engineer, deposed that he remembered Captain, Hart sending for him to ■ come to the bridge at 7.45 p.m. 'on Sunday, \Jund 23. He asked witness how long it would take to warm the engines up arid get steam to proceed to sea if necessary. Witness replied that it would take half an hour. In consequence he went below and saw that everything was m readiness for the call if necessary, and ■- he told all the: engineers to be m readiness to stand-by. That was about S , o'clock. He went down ; half an hour later, and saw that -his orders had been carried out regarding the fires. He told the engineer oh watch thfct there Was a probability they w^biiia' go-to* sea if the weather increased ; he told : him, to keep a good head of steam on the boilers, and ordered him to call everybody smartly. He went into his room after that. What did you do after that? — About 10 o'clock I went on to the bridge to see the captain, and met him. on the bridge deck; I asked him. if he would give me a little longer notice if possible, as the other engineers had been lying down. He said he would do so witrhin reason. About 10.45 the third officer came to me from the captain and gave, orders for steam. •■-'■', Mr Barton : When you were on the bridge at 10 o'clock what did you think of the weather ?-— lt was much about the same as it was at 8. The captain and t discussed the weather. He said the glass was rising, and had been rising all the evenings ■ ■ To Mr Barton : The weather remaining the same prompted me to ask for longer 1 notice. -. '• Mr Nolan : Oh receiving' the orders for steam ? — <l called the • engine room staff and went below. D,id you get any other. jirdelrs?— About llklO the third officer came to me and asked <me to hurry /up. I replied that as soon, as I possibly could 1 would ring the telegraph. I don't think Ihe could have leit the engine room before I did so. Almost immediately £ ' received the order, "Full speed astern, port engine." , • \ Mr Nolan: Ahd you had • a considerable number of orders after that?: — Yes, right until 19 past midnight. . > The whole of the time you were m 'he bay were your engines kept m readiness for sea ? — One" engine . was . always ready, and the other, at. night time, would be ready within half an -hour. And your engines were ready as soon, as called for?— rYes. :••■•■ . . i s : Mr Myers: When you went on ijhe bridge at 10 o'clock .the squall had ceased — .Yes, it was almost a lull, at had been so quite five minutes. ,It wa> raining hard. ; ■ . Horace George Oookey sixth engineer, deposed that ne was on watch at <8. o'clock on ithe night .of the; stranding. He had instructions at 8.30.. t0 lose no tame m calling .the other .engineers,; and to get steam ready if he , 'receded .orders to get: the engines> ready ..to pro? ceed to sea. The chief came down at 10.45-, and gave instructions .to, .call the fireman ana greaser for the 8 to 12 watfeh and .then assist m gating the erigijoes ready for sea. He (witness) did so. The port engine was "swinging" at 11.12, when they |ook their 'first order. , The starboard engine was .under, weigh / at 11.20, as far as he could,, remember. He was taking orders, at the telegraph... Both engines were kept at worjt uptiTX^f' past midnight. The starboard • ejvgina ; was swinging a couple o.f minutes ore . they received their first ordW. ,''.'.. Antonio Hendrickaon, £•%>, stated that he was .on. watah on, the ;Sun,day night m Question between 11 o'clock. He was called a few "minutes , before 11. There was a strong wind' ai^d it Vas raining.. He went to iwork /to {jet. the derricks m amidships, and did. Ju>t take particular notice of tlie weather. First, they took the No. I' and rNp- -2 ? derricks m on tlie forward' deck. ' He . was not sufficiently far forward to t f&p the cables. Until the ship struck he oVu not know anything had happened to the cable. . ' " ■ ',/*■'•'' :;v- ;i ' . To Mr Barton: He came %6 .the conclusion the anchor was' dragging Vfhpn he felt the motion and the Thumping. That.was^after she struck. '"': ■■"" ; , Viqtor^Andeiißon, carpenter of the Star of Conaclaj said he wai, called abbiit 11 o'clock. The chief officer called him to help to let go tJiepprt ancho,i< Tbeiy ; tried to heave m "the 'starboard i cible. It was taut, and they could not- gj^t any m. The chief officer then |old : hlitt to go into the ' chain looker r and k^ojiik out the pin to free the. chain. ". 'He' 6ould only get it, half way out, ■becausei iti wasrusted. Ho was then -told to como u^p out of the chain locker and let go the pout anchor. - This was after .the 7 vessel struck. The captain then nave orders' for tihe holds to be sounded, whion-he' did after he finished at the windlass. To Mr Myers: When he went up at 31 o'clock the ship had struck. He . could not tell if the ship had swunjf* round. He could not say at which

angle the cable was out, as it was too dark. - Mr Myers explained to the bench with ] •a tape that if the cable was out at a particular angle it would account for 1 the difficulty of hauling the chain m. Captain W. dimming^ harbormaster at Gisborne, gave evidence that he was aboard the Star of Canada when she anchored- on June, 2l. Mr JJblan: What sort of anchorage had they selected?— The usual anchorage for ocean steamers. So far as your experience has shown you it is a perfectly safe anchorage for ships of that class?— l consider it* the best. ■Do you consider it the best anchorage % a vessel to lay at m a strong southe#J or S.W. breeze!— Yes. Have you ever been m charge of a chip lying at that, anchorage?— Yes. And have you always found it a perfectly safe anchorage m southerly and S.W. weather?— Yes. I was anchored there for 14 months m 1889. Mr' Barton: ' Continuously? — Yes, w«, shifted about occasionally, but not out of the bay. - And you had some pretty bad weather?—Ye», I suppose some of the worst we have had here. I came back 10 years later, and put, m another 12 months. Mr Myers: You were m the 'Prince of Wales, a refrigerating ship which inaugurated the freezing industry here? — Yes. ..••... , '-• "■ And it was a heavy wooden ship? — Yes, an exceptionally heavily built ship, of about 500 or 600 t^rns register. Mi* Myers : And during tb,e time you Xvere anchored there you had some of the heaviest weather ever experiencd m Poverty Bay?— Yes. -„ ■- = And you refer to wind and sea combined? — Yes. I suppose you he^rd Captain Harb give evidence as to your conversation aboard the stjeaitaer?— Yes. , And that is cqrpect ?-r— Yes ; I was giving him my opinion of what I believed' and still believe to be right. The opinion I gave was based on my ownexperience. You have been harbormaster for how long?— About 10 years. Have i you known Captain Hart during -that period? — Yes, during the whole time he flaas been coming to New Zealand..' .• ; '■ .■,'...■--': . .-■ -„.■' Have you had opportunity of judging as to his being a. careful, cautious man? —-Yes, I should say he is a very cautious man. Would you say he was a man Avho would consciously take any avoidable risk? — I should sajr he was a man who vroald avoid any risk. As to your experience on the Prince of Wales, did you ever drag an anchor? ■ — No, never. Were you on the waterfront on t!*e Sunday? — Yes, I was down to despatch the Maui at. 11 o'clock. I was down again at 5 p.m., and also at 9 o'clock. It was nearly 10 when I went home. Proceeding, witness stated the wind was S.W. and W. up till 11 a.m. It came round more to the south m the. afternoon, and was still southerly m the evening, with, he believed, a "little westing. For some days prior to the 23rd they had been waiting for a fxoad forecast to send the Maui away. .7 hat•was generally known m Giaborne. On Sunday morning they received a wire that justified them m sending the Maui away. It was "southerly, strong to gale." Up to the time he went home there was no force m the squalls. Mr Myers : Was there anything i? to that time which would cause a nmii it man m your good anchorage to £,o to sea? — No. The steamship Mokoia, he added m reply to a question, was expected that night, but had not been sighted >up to the time he left. ' Have you, time after time, seen large vessels hanging on to that anchorage m weather quite as bad as it was when you went home? — Yes. At the time, or just before you went home, did you see men waiting about to go off to the Star of Canada? — No, not at that time, but I saw people waiting to go off to the Mokoia. Up to the time you went home there was nothing m the weather to necessitate your attendance? — No. He went home, he added, and was called about 1 next morning by the Sergeant of Police, who said it had been reported there was a vessel jn. the bay sending up distress signals. He went down as soon as possible. There was a considerable difference m the weather then and that at 10 p.m. There were very heavy squalls, with rain and sleet or hail. It was still 'southerly. Captain Ohrisp : Not to the eastward i — No. The squalls were altogether different m force than at 10 p.m. They were of almost hurricane force. It -was most unusual for the weather to get bad- so quickly, nor was it usual to get bad ..at night. It usually died 1 away at> night. When it increased m force it usually did so m the morning. When he went home at 10 o'clock he did not notice the probability of such weather as came on that night. He had seldom seen the weather increase so fiercely, but when he had, it had been m the morning. <■■ When he got down that morning the sea had increased considerably. Notwithstanding that, he went out m the Hipi to the Star of Canada to see if he could do any -good. They went outside and spoke to Captain Hart. Mr Myers : With your knowledge of local conditions, do you think it-reason-ably prudent for a man to lie out there with his engines ready to get away within an hour's notice? — Yes, I thinn it is usual. They should always manage to get out of the way within 'an hour. Proceeding, witness said there were earthquakes on the Friday and Saturday before the accident. Mr T. Alston .Coleman : I presume when you went home on the evening oi the 23rd you thought everything calm? — U went home because there was no sign of the Mokoia, and thought she would not be m till daybreak. Had there been any indications of this excessive bad weather, I suppose you /would not have gone home?— No, I should not. \ During- your experience sM anchor m the Prince of Wales m the bay, do you remember the weather coming up as bad as this at night? — No, not " that I can remember at night. We had heavy weather, but it was mostly m the daytime. I am suggesting this was an unexpected and exceptionally heavy squall. — Yes. What is the nature of the bottom where the Star of Canada was? — It is very mixed. There is sand, silt, papa, clay, and papa rock m patches. Then, ; presuming the cable parted, there ,ig .every possibility of it being entangled m. the bottom? — -Yes, there is, but I think there is every possibility pf the vessel having sat on it when taking the bottom. When' you were m the Prince of Wales, what was your procedure?— l used to anchor with 60 fathoms of chain out, and jn bad weather I used to give her 75 /ai|honis and give her a sheer and drop niy second anchor, and pay out till I had, about 45 fathoms on the. second anchor and 100 fathoms ori the other. Captain Chrisp : Did you ever drop your second anchor when the wind was at south or west of south?— -JJo, I can't say. I did. I dropped it when ' it was more into the bay, to keep her from knocking about. Captain Chrisp: Your ship would generally be regarded as a light draught ship?— She would generally be drawing about 14ft. Sometimes she -would be jight. ■..-.' Captain Ohrisp: It is generally understood that a loaded ship will rijle better than a light ship ; she is not so liable to 'break her shear ?— We lay there m all trims. . ■ . Captain Chrisp pointed out that the conditions were all m favor of the Stai of : Canada. Captain Cumming, m reply to Captain Post, .said the Prince of Wales was 140 feet, m length. Captain Post: Then she wouM be pretty, lively? — Yes, that was why I had to put out the second anchor. 1 thinlc she would be pretty well as heavy as the Star of Canada on her ground tackle. . To Mr Coleman : , He had known one . vessel drag her andhors a little at the ♦Star of Canada's anchorage, but the captain of this vessel complained of his anchors, -which, had dragged at other ports, and he was aLways expecting

trouble with them. This anchorage lip been m use during his experience of 23 years.

Mr Nolan intimated this concluded his case, and at this stage (6 p.m.) the! inquiry was adjourned until 11 a.m. to-day.