MARINE INQUIRY.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12474, 26 February 1909, Page 2

MARINE INQUIRY.

[United Press Association:] ; punedin, Feb 25. A marine enquiry was commenced to-day before Mr Kenrick, S.M., with Captain. Sunsstrum and" Capt: Forbes as nautical assessors, ' to investigate the circumstances attending acollision between the oil launch Mah- , eno and: the steamer Matarika; in the > Otago harbour on January- 28th. The i proceedings were instituted by the "Collector of Customs, whose application for an inquiry set forth that the cause of the casualty as far as he had ascertained was that the master of the ivlaheno, or the person in charge of her[ was guiltvof negligence in navigating his ship at the time of the collision, by which the Maheno sustained material damage. The Collector of Customs said the Government did not consider the damage to the 'vessel as a very material "point, r but regarded it of extreme importance > that safety of life should not . he > jeopardised. t The captain of the! Maheno* (Louis j Mathieson) -and the steersman (Win. . Thos Nasb) gave evidence. .' It appeared that on the,, day in question both boats were due : to leave Dunedin aboufr'ten o'clock': :Th6 Maheno cast.off 9,; minute or two before the Mapariki", which wa(s * nearer the entrance basin, and moved out at right angles from the wharf in. order to turn round. The: Maheno also-swung out into the basin,-and the Maheno's starboard engine failed at a critical moment and a collision' between the r two boats occurred. 'The inquiry will ' be continued to-morrow.