LOSS OF SCOW RANGI

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19258, 25 February 1937, Page 4

LOSS OF SCOW RANGI

FATE IN HEAVY GALE OPENING OF INQUIRY (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. The circumstances under which four members of the crew of the Auckland scow Rangi lost their lives, when the vessel foundered in a violent storm at the eastern entrance to the Hauraki Gulf on. the night of January 14, were investigated when the hearing of evidence by the nautical_ injjuiry was. commenced in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Only two of six people on board survived the wreck, one being the ship's boy and the other a schoolboy who was a guest of the master, Captain Petersen. Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., presided and the assessors appointed by the Minister of Marine were Captain Sorenson, Captain Jensen, and Mr. T. F. Anderson. Mr. Moody appeared for the owners of the scow, the Leyland-O'Brien Timber Company, and Mr. J. Goulding'for the Scow Owners' Association. The Federated Seamen's Union was represented by the president, Mr. F. P. Walsh, while the proceedings were conducted on behalf of the Marine Department by Air. Foden, of Wellington. • The appointment of Mr. Anderson, who is the secretary of the Auckland Seamen's Union, was strongly criticised by counsel at the opening of the hearing, when Mr. Moody and Mr. Goulding both entered formal objections. SURVIVORS TELL STORY One of the two survivors, John William Mason, the ship's -bo# in the scow, gave evidence regarding the foundering of the vessel. The schoolboy, Donald William Wbodroffe, aged 14, who was the guest of Captain Petersen on the Rangi's ill-fated voyage, related a similar story of the foundering. The master of the scow Altair, Captain J. D. Bell, said he sighted the Rangi when it was off Rakino Island. In trie case of the Altair, the sails had been blown out in what he I described aa an exceptionally heavy gale, and 'h% was forced to rely on the engine. Mr. Walsh: In spite of heing in a well-founded, sea-worthy vessel, you were unable to go to the Rangi's assistance?

Captain Bell: Yes. It was impossible for any vessel. Could wireless have been of any assistance ? —The Raugi would not have sent out distress signals until the last half hour when the advantage would not have been considerable. .

Are you aware that four scows have been wrecked within the vicinity of Auckland during the last nine months? —Yes. It is just a cycle of unfortunate events. The same has happened iu Wellington in the ease of larger steam-* ships. FORCED TO ANCHOR . The master of the Northern Steam Ship Company's Rangitoto, Captain *4| Peart, said that on the day of the f Rjingi's foundering a heavy gale was blowing, and he had found it necessary to anchor in Cabbage Bay. Evidence was given by a number of witnesses as to repairs effected to the Rangi since the last survey, one stating that an examination of the wreckage of the scow had revealed no inherent weaknesses in the fastenings. ' This witness) regarded the Rangi as, one of the best-founded scows in Auckland, and considered it had always been wellcommissioned.

An' inspection of the portion of the hull that grounded at Campbell's Bay was detailed by another shipwright, who said that, in -his opinion, the Rangi got into an awkward position, was severely buffeted, and sprang a serious leak, eventually collapsing. The hearing was adjourned.