NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

Colonist, Volume XLIV, Issue 10082, 15 April 1901, Page 3

NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

(Per Unitsd Press Association.) [B? Telegraph.] Oamabu, April 13. An inquiry is being held into the stranding of the yacht Ariadne, which, is likely to last several days. Mr J C. Kerry, the owner of the yacht, after expressing an objection to divulging tha price he had paid for the yacht, as it was practically a gift, said he had paid Lady Ingram £2000 for her. The vessel was insured for witness taking one half the risk of £10,000. She was insured in London in April of last year for twelve months. The vessel was overhauled in Sydney when she arrived there. He had discharged the crew he brought from Home, and took on a fresh one. The captain's orders were to proceed to Dunedin to be provisioned, not refitted, but after giving these orders he had cabled him lo proceed to Auckland to be refitted for England. , Nothing was taken out of the yacht before she left Sydney for New Zealand. In the course of his examination witness appealed to the Court for protection against questions relating to his transactions with Lady Ingram over the purchase of the vessel, but the Court ruled that the questions must be answered. Counsel also asked questions regarding the past history of the witness. He said he had served as a seaman on board the ship Lochiel, but it was in order to get to Leper Island, in the New Habrides. He was never charged by a man named Asher, who was owner of a schooner named the Harold, with participating in the theft of a bag of sovereigns. Asher charged everybody.. Asher had not sufficient money to pay the crew, and said a bag of sovereigns had been stolen. He had been searched at his own request, and the marked coins found on him were proved to have been given to him by Asher in Noumea, and were returned to him. He could not say whether he had anything to do with the New Guinea Exploring Company, and he declined to say whether he had produced to anyone a nugget of gold which he was reported to have said was found on the coast of New Guinea. He had never promoted a company. To Mr Hanlon, the witness said he had been offered in writing £17,000 for the yacht, and she was under offer at £19,500. One German, named Wind, deposed that the mate had twice during the voyage told him that the captain was going to try to run the vessel ashore, and that he, the mate, intended to have a few pounds. Wind stated that he had not previously told anyone of this conversation. He said the mate was not sober on both occasions. Freke, another sailor, who is an acknowledged friend of the owner, stated that the man who should have been on the watch, and who had described the stranding, had I not really been on deck at all.