LOSS OF THE SCOW SOUTHERN ISLE.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 14142, 19 July 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

LOSS OF THE SCOW SOUTHERN ISLE.

MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY.

(From ''The Colonist/ July 13.) A magisterial inquiry was held yesterday into tho loss of the auxiliary v scow Southern Isle with all hands ' ™ "c on a voyage fiom Puponga to Pioton at the end of May. Mr J. S. Evans, S.M., presided, and with ainn as assessors were Captain H. Mac Nab (formerly of Nelson, now of Wanganui) ai® Captain R. McKinlay (Auckland). Mr. W. Devenish, Collector of Customs, Nelson, appeared for the Marine Department, and after stating that he r could not call any evidence from those , who sailed on the vessel, as all had lost their lives, he called evidence as follows:— Arthur Edward Tasker stated that he w as managing director of the North Cape Coal Company. His company was interested in the vessel as holders of a second mortgage for £360. She loaded at Puponga on 26th May, with 118 tons of coal. She had carried 119 tons." As far as he knew she was not insured. He could supply a list of the cargoes carried for 12 months if ne'ees- • sary. ;

The Court asked Mr. Tasker to supply the list offered!,,' , ~ Richard Tregidga, master of the scow Pearl Kaspar,- stated that he held an extended rivSjs certificate^ which ens' titled him to Irade witlrjn Blind Bay. He was at Puponga from Thursday, 25th May, till Sunday, 28th. During that tijre he was twice^ on board the % Southern Isle while she was loading. She finished loading on the Friday afternoon about half-past four. He was on board her that forenoon, and again in the afternoon from about 2 to 3 When he left one side of tile hold was finished loading, and the hatches were being put on. She did not carry any coal on deck at all. She drew about six feet to 6ft 6in when loade.d. She was all afloat about half- . ratst five. She did not look deep then.. Her Plimsoll mark was then clear of the water, and she did\ not take any more coal in. She had! a brand new boat, and she was well found, all her gear being good. She lay at the wharf all night, and left between half-past 5 and 6 next morning. A fresh S.E. wind was then blowing, but there was not much sea. The weather conditions were good for sailing, and the captain's idea was to go out and anchor under the Tasman Bank till the wind shifted. The wind then^ would be a dead head wind for making the trip. She did not get out to the bank, as the wind got .up too strong for the engines, and she had to drop anchor about 200° yards from the wharf. Witness walked out to the Southern Isle about one o'clock that (Saturday) afternoon. She was then lying on the flat, She left about a,quarter to 7 "on Sunday morning (28th May). The wind was then northerly, a nice breeze, and it was raining. The sneooth sea and conditions were 'favourable for her departure, The Pearl Jvaspar ] e ft about- half an hour later,"and caught up to the Southern Isle about half-past 10;. she was then about 6 miles nor'-west of Separation S*oint. There was then a fresh northerly wind, and the Southern Isle altered her course for Stephens Island. The wind was then just nice for everyone. There was a bit of a roll, but nothing much. She was then going on splendidly. He lost sight of her about ialf an hour afterwards. It was fairly thick, and mining in torrents. He saw her again about one o'clock when he was off Totaranui Bay. The Southern Isle was then headed for Stephens Island and the Pearl Kaspar was bound for Itiwaka. She was in sight then for about half nn hour, and he saw no more of her nftoot. W;fc»ess" anchored at Astrolabe ,-t about- s ?.() that afternoon, the wind then bnmg. S.E. lse.it mornins: (Monday) it '•"•ns very rough, ■with S.E. wind, very dirty. avVl 1^ lay at Astrolabe till Tuesday mVivk. It •would be a head wind for the Southern Isle, and if she had not got over the bay sufficiently to get the shelter of D'Urville Island her only way to get shelter would be to run back to Collingwood. Witness reached Nelson the following Friday, and the first he henrd of the wreck was at 10.30 o'clock that Bight, when Captairf Collins, harbourmaster, rang him'up. Witness was one of the party who proceeded to Farewell .Spit. They left at noon on Saturday, anchored at the Tata Islands at quarter to 5 the same day, and left on •Sunday looming at quarter to 5 and arrived at the wreck a little after .7 o'clock. The wreck was then about 4 rciles S.E. of the Farewell light. •She was lying bow down in 13 fathoms of water; her bowsprit was evidently touching bottom; it was perfectly smooth and she was well outside the line of breakers. She was outside the Spit. Witness then detailed the examination made of the vessel. On the Saturday afternoon he was not on board the Southern Isle, so he •could not see whethter the tarpaiilins •were on the hatches. He stood on the -ground and spoke to Captain Gibson and Mr. Foster, who were on deck. '.There was no weather likely to cause any damage while the Southern Isle was on the flat. He ' noticed on the 'Sunday afternoon how well she was standing up with the sail she was ■carrying, and it was evidence that she was dry, for if she had had water in her it would have caused her to list. If the launch could have left on Friday afternoon the wreck would have been reached on Saturday morning, and there would then have been a chance of getting assistance, and having the Southern\ Isle towed in before she commenced to break up. -He did not know how it was there was any delay ;£n starting, lie was perfectly willing to There was nothing to' prevent travelling Friday night, and then the wreck would have been reached Saturday morning. -.On Friday night he expressed the. opinion that the wreck could not be-the Southern Isle, as he could, not see how she could float with 100 tons of coal in her, and he did not believe she capsized, as she would stand all the sail they could put on her. His . theory was that in some unaccounted ' : . ; way water, got,into the hold, arid she , went down forward. She was by far 'the stiffest boat in the: bay. There , .was a rope round one propeller when 'the wreck was visited, but he did not think the engine put it roundy as it was.not wound tight enough for thai. 'The only,'other thing that he -saw wrong was that the bottom- rudder gudgeon was gone. At first lie thousht the boat-had been lowered, as the fall was not on the davit cleat, 'but It may have w ashed oft In reply to Captain MeKinlav, witness stated that the Southern £,le did not carry a boat forward. The piutle of the iudder was all right, and not straightened out. She had a big hatchway Her coamings weie high, «nd the mam rail, would June to be fully eighteen inches under water when she heeled before water could enter over the cooirings Witness then pointed out position*. on the chait, and was examined as to detnils. Witness was then farther examined , regarding the hatches of the Southern i Isle, and said that he did not M3e the .hatches fastenpd as the last tinae he was on her deck loading had/not reach«d that stage ' * t Vl& cniesti°n of "dogs" on the .hatches of the Southern Tsle then arose, and Captain -Collins, who. was called

upon, said that there were not'dogs on1 tho wreck as it now lay in the harbour. He. believed that the coamings had been rai§ed at Picton on the trip previous.

It was then decided to visit the1 wreck before in the after-, noon.

Evidence was proceeded with. Alfred James Henry, chief officer of the Nikau, stated that on Saturday, May 27th, he was captain of the Kennedy, which left Wellington that day. On Sunday, at 3 p.m., he sighted the Southern Isle 12 to 15' miles E.N.E. of»Separation Point. He passed within 3or 4 miles, of her. There was then a heavy roll on, and a light S.W. wind. The last he saw of her was about 5 o'clock, when a heavy S.E. gale with rain came on. The gale eased up about 11 o'clock Monday morning. The Southern Isle was doing all right when he saw her.

Arthur S. Gibson, n: aster of the steamer Stormbird, and brother of the late Captain Gibson of the Southern Isle, stated that he knew the Southern Isle to be a very stiff vessel, and extrordinarily strong on the bottom. He had not sailed on her, but had'often been in her company. There would not be any strain whatever on her hull through lying on the Puponga flat. He had several times examined the vessel, and she was exceptionally strongly built. She carried more than her requirement of lifebelts, as the captain had an idea that the extra lifebelts would be. useful in making the & "f m-ore DU°y'ant as a last resource. The Court then adjourned till afternoon, and before resuming a visit was paid to the wreck.

Captain Henry Collins, harbourmaster, Nelson, said that he had examined the hull of the Southern Isle as it now lay in Nelson harbour. The hull was in fair condition, and did not show signs of having been strained, blie was practically as now. There were^ not any dogs on the coamings of the hatches. He had not any theory as to the cause- of the mishap. He nrst beard of the mishap on Friday evening June 2nd, when he was informed from "The Colonist" office. As tar as he knew no steps were taken to send a search party out till Saturday at noon It did not come within his Junctions to take action in a case at that distance,- If it has been within Nelson Harbour district it would Jave been his duty. He did not get the party up. He did : not communicate officially with anyone after hearing of the mishap, but he did inform a few. people about the Port Robert Henry Leighton, principal keeper at Farewell Spit Lighthouse, also signalitan and telephonist, referring to his journal, said that on Saturday m^lit, 27th May, there was a S E to N.W gale with thick, misty rain." On Sunday- at about 7 a.m. the wind suddenly shifted to N.W., which caused a high tumultuous ** a , particularly at the end O f the Siit. At 4 in the afternoon the wind again backed round to the b.E blowing a strong gale with ram. This held for Monday and on Tuesday it was still S.E "'with rain On Wednesday (31st) there was a strong northerly wind and showers, j lhat afternoon, about four o'clock i through the telescope he sighted an -object in the water which he considered ■to be bridge wreckage or something of the kind. Knowing the weather he thought it not improbable that it'was wreckage, of this description. It was by to ( miles away. He entered this simply as "sighted wreck," though he had no idea of a wreck, nor had he then heard of it. The spot was roughj? the position described, where the wreck was. seen on Sunday. On Thursday he did not see anything, though he kept a careful look-out. On Friday (June Snd) he sighted the wreckage about the same spot at the Spit end. He then sent a keeper out on horseback to set as near as possible to the wreckage. The m an returned, not having been able to make anything of it. On that from Wkf w° f an oil J»™<* coming fiom West Wanganui, and knew that she would go close to the wreck, whiJh she did as he watched. He then rang up Parapara where the launch wa! oound, and when the launch arrived hi SS,™ 1 ™t f^ thafthe wreck was that of the Southern Isle S.r 8*? I*?* 9 ?' clock on Fri<^Y night ™ffi l\ !- tinch "ri^d.at Parapara, and .first tiling on the Saturday nW ing he sent an official report to' the was one of the heaviest he had seen wT g le *ime he llad been*F^Questionod* closely by the chairman witness stoutly held to the opinionS he was not called upon to report the wreckage when he first saw it. Though his entry in the book read "wreck," he did not identify it as the wreck of a vessel ■and it might.have been some of the hundreds of stumps and limbs which are always about the Spit. He vwas very anxious to avoid doing anything to cause a scare, and he instanced a case where a great scare had. been raised and- much expense caused through a dead whale haying been reported a-wreck by a passing steamer. ne did not have any general instructions to report wreckage. Mr. Devenish, Collector of Customs gave evidence that the wreck was fim reported him on Friday, 2nd -Jxmk froir^The^Colonist" office, between 9 and: io p.m. It was merely mentioned tuat there was wreckage, but it was not known what vessel was con-ern^d and no ship had been reported as iriss■S g"+ •uasi Oo hlte to do anything ■that night...Next day was. a -K.lidayT At breakfast time Dr. W Tashbour.n rare up, statino- that he thought the \>ws was the Southern Isle, and he-askt-d----regarding sending aid. Witness repJied that he would make inquiries immediately. He called to see .Dr. Wash, bourn on the way to his office to C am further information, but did notice A mi,^ n ? rrival at-the .-Custom Hox-se iJTffiWashbourn; said that he lolfiwcd that the vessel was the Sorchern'•Ke' and he urged, that a party be rJr.fc' Witness replied that tie first r, ove in that direction should ha made by O« Parties interested, the North Capo-Coal •Company; out that he would wire.iho Marine Department;. Mr. Tasker r.m.oup about that tince. -aid witness- toJcl him that it was. his .-(Mr Tasker's) duty •primarily, .as the jierson interosted, to seiid assistance, but that he •vould wire the Mnrine Department for authority, which he ■.subsequently received, but in the meantime the launch had gone under instructions from Messrs.. Tasker aiKL n'ien- He had no general .mthority; to send out and investigate m a case of the kind-. When Dr Washbouvnsaid that Stuart arid party wore £om£ out v : witness said >,•;.■>t h<> was _ sure that the Marine Departmcjit wouJd-jboar a -.prow -bion rif'-ihe'ev-noiise.-''. ■•'■ •.-. ■:'■■:■.'.'■:' : -^..v->".- :•:'■■ .•■. ' :

The port of registry of the South^-n 'sic A\f lS Auckland. She was f*'3 '"? cross towiPgo. and -58.93 iei tomn<V Ihe owners were C. H Gibson nnjA." &. b. l'ostev, equal share?, lot]? of wpon Tiere browned, and Jii^ r r o« in additional ore, D. Monteith. J. LVton seamen, and — Cnrric cook. Witness read a letter from Mr. K.1J ilood, official Ffixrvevo^, -<vho v nhstsi.t from Nelson, which stated tliat' hp bntl msn«Herl the Jmll )f rh? rtn-iTh-ern Jslp j IS now iie^ yp Nd-oji harbour, and he vas «-ari«fi3d that tKe I 1

vessel was m a seaworthy condition when she left Puponga on M,ay,2Bth. Tin? concluded the evidence called. Captain A. Gibson asked permis & iotf to make a reference to the alleged absence of dogs on the coamings of tho Southern Isle. He said that he had observed evidence of dogs having been wrenched off, the bolts still remaining in two peaces. Mr Leightor. wished to amend his evidence by correcting a mistake in regard to the message received from Parapara oa Friday, June 2nd It was reported "to him that the wreck might foe the Southein Isle, not that it bad been actually identified as that vessel At -half-past 4 o'clock it was announced that the decision of the Court would be made known this morning, another inspection of xhe Southern Isle to be made in the meantime