SAFETY OF SHIPS

Southland Times, Issue 20112, 24 February 1927, Page 8

SAFETY OF SHIPS

THE KAITUNA TROUBLE

CREW’S ALLEGATIONS UNFOUNDED VESSEL HELD TO BE SEAWORTHY (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, February 22. Allegations regarding the seaworthiness of the steamer Kaituna were made at the Police Court when 19 members of the crew were charged with failing to proceed to sea without reasonable excuse. John McDonald, a seaman on the Kaituna, said the Kaituna was unsafe to go to sea. Her plates did not meet. There was cement between the plates. William White said one of the men who repainted the tanks after the vessel went ashore, told him only one plate was renewed. He would not go so far as to say the cracks between the plates were filled with cement, but he believed the floors of the tanks and uprights should be straightened. George Struthers, a boilermaker who assisted in repairing the Kaituna, said that far more than two-thirds of her length on both sides was an indent over six inches in diameter. All the floors, frames and uprights holding the floors and plates were affected. The keel plate was fractured. Some of the plates were furled io meet the keel plate. Others were not. Only a few rivets were renewed. The bent frames were left as they were. D. Rabe, foreman of the boilermakers on the Kaituna, and Charles Webb, another boilermaker, gave corroborative evidence. Roger Morrison, foreman shipwright to the Union Company, said the repairs were properly carried out. It was the usual custom for all ships to be covered with 2J to 3in of cement to prevent corrosion. The dent referred to was only two inches deep at the maximum, and it was quite all right to leave the dent as it was. All defects in the fore and aftercastles had been corrected. All rivetting had been done in a proper manner. There was no possible danger that the rivets would shear off. James Alexander, surveyor of ships for the Marine Department, gave corroborative evidence.

The Magistrate (Mr McKean) said after hearing the evidence for the defence, he thought the crew had no grounds to fear for the safety of the vessel. It was to be regretted that boilermakers had made statements which caused so much alarm. Mr Bagnall said in view of the Magistrate’s ruling that the ship was seaworthy, he was willing to withdraw the charges. The Magistrate: Very 7 well. Instead of being dismissed permission will be given for the charges to be withdrawn. DISPUTE SETTLED. VESSEL SAILS FOR WESTPORT. Auckland, February 22. The dispute with the crew of the Union Steam Ship Company’s steamer Kaituna has been settled and the vessel sailed for Westport this afternoon, after being delayed in port for eight day 7 s. The men had refused to go to sea in the vessel as they alleged she was not seaworthy. Twenty men were charged in the Court with disobeying the master’s orders, but eventually the charges were withdrawn and the men agreed to rejoin the ship.