DID SHIP HAVE LIST?

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16895, 27 November 1925, Page 9

DID SHIP HAVE LIST?

tn.VH) DAMAGES «’I,AIMED. LOSS OK THE IMI’I’EE. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. Several witnesses gave evidence In:i’oie llte Court to-day. when (lie hearing of the claim by Maud Ellen Nicholson, widow of tho lute chief oilieer of the Ripple, which was lost in a storm off Cape I’aiiiser on August, 7, IffiM. for £1501) damages from the owners of the steamer, Richardson and Co.\ Napier, was continued before Air. dust ice Alpers. The evidence was somewhat contradictory. While some said the vessel had no perceptible list when she left, j ort. others said Dial when the vessel left the harbor on August li sho hud a decided list to port. Costello, an able seaman on the Moot tiki, giving evidence for plaintiff. said the Ripple had <v big list and had the wharf not heen there she would have turned over. When leaving port the Ripple had a lisl of at least eight, degrees. Tomlinson, marine surveyor, said there was no perceptilde list on the vessel. Henderson, marine surveyor, formerly tin officer on the Ripple, said she was tin excellent sea/ bout; u little “touchy.’' but easy to trim. It was usual to Iti:i>l a vessel with the list towards the wharf in order to stive rubbing against the piles, the list being trimmed out of her alforwards. A list of eight degrees would be dangerous in bad weather. Henry Guthrie, foreman stevedore, who bad charge of the loading, said all the heaviest cargo was placed in tin 1 hold first fencing wire, corrugated iron and jariult timber. He denied emphatically there was a list, on the vessel during any portion of tho day of sailing. Men who coaled the vessel, also a I ally clerk, said there was no list when she left port. At tJie conclusion of tho evidence, Mr. Watson, for. the defendant company, made formal application to have the case withdrawn from the jury on the grounds of the only possible negligence was negligence on the part of the late chief officer, who was responsible for the loading of the vessel. His Honor promised to consider the point. After both counsel had addressed the jury the ease was adjourned until to-morrow.