“NO EFFORT TO RESCUE ME”

Southland Times, Issue 23948, 14 October 1939, Page 6

“NO EFFORT TO RESCUE ME”

Survivor Of Launch Tragedy INQUIRY OPENS IN CHRISTCHURCH QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY COLONEL BELL (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, October 13. Mr William Willman, the survivor of the Dolphin tragedy, was left struggling in the water, dazed and battered when the vessel sank underneath him in Lyttelton Harbour yesterday afternoon after being sunk by gunfire. “No effort was made by the men at the shore battery to rescue me,” he said this morning. “Boats were available at the fort and had one been launched immediately it could have reached the Dolphin before she sank. Mr Brasell was unconscious from shock and the loss of blood, but I believe his life might have been saved had a rescue boat put out.” Two eye-witnesses of the tragedy who watched the Dolphin sink said she went down in an incredibly short time.

The shell, they said, struck the Dolphin just forward of her engine-room. They heard the explosion and almost at once the big launch began to settle. According to their estimate, she, sank within three or four minutes. The Court of Inquiry began its sittings at 10 o’clock this morning. The members of the Court are Major Blake (Artillery), Lieutenant McLean (Artillery) and Captain Burrows (Rifle Battalion). The length of time the Court will sit is indefinite, depending on the amount of evidence to be heard and taken down. The Officer Commanding the Southern Military District (Colonel P. H. Bell) this morning answered questions relating to the Dolphin incident as follows:— Question: Is the investigating body a Court of Inquiry or a Board of Inquiry ? Answer: A Court of Inquiry. Are its sittings public or private and open to the newspapers? —Private. To whom will the Court report?—To me. Does the Army or the Navy assume responsibility for the fort?—The Army. Who ordered the shot to be fired?— It is not advisable to say at present. Has the officer commanding the fort or the officer who ordered the shot to be fired been relieved of his duties pending the inquiry?—No. What efforts were made to save the crew when it was seen the Dolphin was sinking?—Every effort. Have alterations been made in the orders at the fort since the accident? — Yes. Is any record kept of fishing boats going out so that they can be checked in?—This is a question for the Court. Where was the examination vessel at the time?—This is also a question for the Court. What is the procedure to be followed by craft when the examination vessel is away?—This is another question for the Court. What will be the position of pleasure craft during the summer?—The same as any other craft. The military court was private, but Lyttelton Harbour Board officials were present. Mr T. Martin, Lyttelton agent for the New Zealand Seamen’s Federation, of which fishermen are now members, also was present and was permitted to question the witnesses. Before concluding, the Court adjourned to the home of Mr Willman, the survivor of the tragedy, and obtained his evidence. This afternoon the Harbour Board’s diver, Mr J. Canning, went down and searched the Dolphin for Mr Brasell’s body. After a search lasting about an hour he reported that the body was not in the launch. Apparently, it had been washed out of the engine room after the Dolphin sank. At low tide today, the tops of the Dol-

phin’s masts were just visible about 200 yards from the shore. CALLED UPON TO PAY COST OF SHOT INCIDENT IN AUCKLAND HARBOUR (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 13. As a sequel to an incident last Friday when a shot was fired from the battery at North Shore across the bows of a fishing boat returning :to port because it did not respond to signals to come alongside the naval vessel and report, the owner of the boat, D. H. Whitelaw, has been called on to pay the cost of the shot, £2/13/6. He said the police came to his boat and said he had to report to the Naval base. On going there he was informed that he had to pay the cost of the shot. He replied that he did not have the money and was told that the bill would be sent.