THE ELINGAMITE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 1, 11 December 1911, Page 5

THE ELINGAMITE.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL’S OPENING AT THE ENQUIRY.

THE ERRONEOUS CHART

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, December 9. The enquiry into the loss of the Elingami.to off Three Kings in 19U2 was re-hpened to-day before the Chief Justice, Captains Smith and Chrisp. In opening the cast, the SolicitorGeneral, who appeared for the Marino Department, said there could be no real doubt that the vessel was carried northward by a current. When the captain was steering what lie considered a safe course he was in reality travelling directly towards the West Bing, " The finding of the original Court was that Captain Attwood was guilty of gross negligence in driving full .speed through a fog up to 1U a.m. on Sunday, when he must have known he was near land. lie never took a sounding before or after 10 a.m., and altered his course without sufficient reason. The Solicitor-Gene-ral said his duty was somewhat repugnant, but he had gone carefully into the matter and come to the conclusion that the error in charting was irrevelaut in judging Attwood’s conduct. The Chief Justice remarked that the point was, if the captain had known the correct position of the islands would he not have allowed more sea room ? Counsel for Attwood: That is the position in a nutshell.

During the evidence to-day, Captain Blackbourne, nautical adviser to the Marine Department, stated that the islands wjero a mile and a half to the south and a third of a mile to the east of their position on the chart Attwood was probably using. Until the re-charting,' witness had no idea that the charts issued by the Marine Department contained erroneous information.