STRANDING OF THE KNIGHT OF THE CARTER.

Colonist, Volume LIII, Issue 13057, 17 March 1911, Page 4

STRANDING OF THE KNIGHT OF THE CARTER.

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT.

[United Pbess Association.]

Bluff, March 16. The nautical inquiry into the circumstances 61 the .stranding or the Kni»ht of tho Garter m BluiT harbour on the 17th February, has occupied the attention of Mr. C. Crmckshank, S;M., Captain Bollou and Captain Sundstrum, assessors, tor the past two days. A great amount of evidence has been taken, and the findins of tho Court, has be^ awaited with keen intend. Iho knight of the Garter was commanded by Captain Finnis. Her tonnage is 4200, and sho belongs to Messrs Greenshielda, Come and Co., of Liverpool, but was under charter to t he New Zealand Shipping CoSudginent of the Court was as follows: After hearing ali the parties tho Court finds that the master, who enquiry. The certificate of the master wfll bf returned to him. The Court further finds that the look-put service of the Bluff Harbour Board malnW ed at Stirling Point is wanting in efiiciency. If the look-out men had had theh duties better defined it is probable the initial mistake of the master would have been rectified mtoej have averted the disaster. The Court also finds that the harbour master after the stranding, showed lack of foresight in not leaving a pilot on Wrd the vessel, and in not having the tug in close attendance to assist when the tide began to make tho harbour. The Board being thus found m default, it is ordered tp pay «he balance of the costs, ££9 13s sd), The COUrt further adds, as a rider, the recommendations: (1) That in the interests of shipping it is advisable for the Bluff Harbour Board to issue such instructions to their pilots as will ensure their prompt boarding of vessels on arrival at the limits of the pilotage waters, whether the tide then suits or not for bringing the vessels in (2) That the attention of the Harbour Board bo drawn to the misleading information in the "New Zealanfl Pilot," and the "New Zealand Nautical Almanac' 'as to the signal stall at Stirling Point. 3. That as fog is somewhat prevalent at the Bluff it is desirable to have the flagstaff at fetorling Point're-established. . In delivering judgment the Magis-trate-said that he and the assessors wished to express their appreciation ot the assistance given by the counsel engaged in the case, Mr. Hanlon for Captain Finnis, Mr. MacDonald[for tire harbour master, and Mr. MacAlister, for the Harbour Board. They wished particularly to express thenappreciation of the very able and impartial manner in which Mr. H. 11. Spence had conducted the inquiry on behalf of the Marino Department. His presentation of the case had been ot very great' assistance to them in obtaining a dispassionate knowledge of the facts of the occurrence.