COURT BLAMES CAPTAIN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19248, 13 February 1937, Page 5

COURT BLAMES CAPTAIN

BREACH OF REGULATIONS VESSELS IN COLLISION MELBOURNE, Feb. 12, The Marine Court ill its finding concerning the collision between the vessels Kakariki and Carsdale, held that the master of the Kakariki, Thomas William White,- made default in failing to keep out of the; way of. the Carsdale when, by his action in altering his' course to port, the Kakariki became the crowding ship with tlie Carsdale on her starboard bow. Captain White thus committed breaches of clauses 19 and 22 respectively of the navigation collision regulations. The court, however, found Captain White not guilty of a gross act of misconduct, and added that had both ships kept their respective courses they would have cleared each other, port side to port side, but the Kakariki altered her course to port, making a collision inevitable. Claiming £IS,CCO damages for alleged negligence in the navigation and control of the Kakariki, the James Patrick Company Limited, owner of the Caredale, has issued a writ against the Union steam Ship Company arising out of the collision.

The city coroner held an inquiry into the deaths of three of the live of the crew of the Kakariki and, after hearing the evidence found that the men died by drowning by misadventure.