THE WIMMERA ENQUIRY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4, 31 July 1918, Page 6

THE WIMMERA ENQUIRY.

OPENING PROCEEDINGS. ' Per Press Association., Auckland,'July 31. • The Wimmera inquiry has opened.' So far. the proceedings have been confined to the opening speech by Mr Mays, counsel'for the Marine Department. He said ,it was quite evident the vessel wa¥ sunk by a moored j mine; and ithis would he .proved. hy.j the expert evidence of Captain HallThompson. Mr Mays alleged the cap-, tain -of the Wimmera departed from; the course laid,down by the Admiralty, arid that the fact of his doing; so resulted in the disaster. He would, not say what caused the captain to - depart from his instructions,'but it? appeared there was no doubt he did BOj and* went inside the-line df safety ;*laid down by the Admiralty. There 1 .were no navigable dangers in' the* course laid down in the' latter, ' arid it would only at the outside ''have taken an hour longer than the courso he took, while 'it would have ensured' safety,-' ; ' Daniel-Ryan, the Union Coy's local manager? said there was no need for ta qTiicker passage.. than usual. He 3iad no information that the captain" was given a fixed course. Captain Kells liaf been in the service of the Company for fifteen or eighteenyeafs, and" was' regarded as ti and reliable master. He denied that the vessel's departure was hurried because, pf **!&** ' Charles Wilson, second officer, said he'had"the course and at-' 4 .a.m. •iiifciiess was relieved by. the chief officer, arid retired to quarters. He was awakened by an explosion, followed thirteen seconds later by another one. He went on deck, wheiV he heard the captain instruct the

wireless operator to send out a mes- * sage. Tho vessel's draught was 13ft 9in forward and 19ft 2in aft. All the Iboats;hot -destroyed by the explosion ■were launched. -One iraV smashed . when being lowered. The Wimmera's ordinary speed in fine weather was 12 or 13 knotsj and oil this night at. the North, Cape was making' 12 i knots. He believed the explosion-, was about the engineroom. It was a muffled Explosion! The Wimmera ' was carrying the regulation ■ ■'lights] There were-only 1 two water-tight conk partnients, and'the doors would have ■ heen shut prior to the explosion. No' soundings: were taken from the time he came on watch: that was only customary iu thick weather.