LOSS OF THE MAHOE.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1919, Page 6

LOSS OF THE MAHOE.

HAUTICAL ENQUIRY. t A nautical enquiry into the circumstances surrounding the loss of the oilengined vessel Mahoe, which was wrecked at the mouth of the Waitara River on January 24th last, resulting in the loss of two lives, Captain Roberts ami the engineer (N. A. Jamieson), was held at the Waitara courthouse on Friday. Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., presided, and with him were Captain W. Waller (New Plymouth) and Captain J. 0. Berg (Waitara) as assessors. Mr R. Eyre Collector of Customs, appeared for the Customs Department. Mr. J. B. Roy was granted leave to appear for the Waitara Harbor Board, and Mr. A. A, Bennett for the owners, Messrs Bayly, Ogle and Co. Mr. A. W. Ogle, managing owner of the Mahoe, stated that the vessel was built in 1914, groks tonnage '2B, net tonnage 14.17. She was specially built, at an approximate cost of £2OOO, for the trade in which she had been engaged ever since. As far as witness could tell she had always proved a good and seaworthy vessel and a good carrier. She would carry from 45 to 50 average size wool bales. Her commander, the late John M. Roberts, who had been in charge about two years, was known to witness as a skilful, careful man, and thoroughly steady and sober. The engineer (Noble Albert Jamieson) was also careful and sober, and had been in witness' employ off and on for four years. For the last 17 months he had been in the Mahoe. The engines were "British Kromhout," a Swedish patent built in England. On the date of the accident the vessel left c Awakino for Waitara about 1 p.m. and witness received intimation of her loss about 7 p.m., when he heard casually that the Mahoe had capsized. He proceedc. to the scene. The vessel was laying on the end of the Airedale ref, bottom up, and volunteers were endeavoring to get the engineer out of the engine room. The vessel had since been refloated. He could not estimate the cost of repairs owing to the peculiar nature of prices now ruling. To replace the vessel would cost at least £4500. He doubted if it w&uld be profitable to repair the vessel. He had never heardany complaint from the captain that the vessel was a poor steerer. The engineer had never complained to witness that he considered the employment dangerous, nor had he suggested that a system of levers should be provided to control the engine from the deck. When the vessel was built she had such a system, but the engineers did not like it and took the levers off. The idea was that the man at the wheel could control the engines if necessary. With a separate man to look after the engines the engineer preferred to control them from below. This'was done about four years ago and witness was not certain whether the late engineer was then in charge. To Mr. Bennett: There was no insurance on the vessel The seaman, George Mellar, had been in witness' employ a few months. On this occasion two boys —John Ogle (witness* son) aged 11 and Leslie Jury, aged 13—werie on the vessel as guests of the captain. The vessel was surveyed on December 21, 1918, and an interim certificate was issued. The vessel was properly manned and equipped according to law John William Laing, pilot, employed by the Waitara Harbor Board, deposed that at about 5.15 p.m. on January 24, when the tide was three hours past the flood, lie sighted the Mahoe about half an hour's steam from the bar. Witness waited at the flagstaff until the vessel came up. The wind was blowing nearly a gale from the south-west and the sea was very heavy. The tide was fairly good for that class of vessel. Witness put up the signal "bar dangerous," as the vessel was coming round the Airedale reef, and he had every reason to suppose the signals .were understood. The vessel stood in fairly close off the bar, passing to the southward of the beacons. She was then headed out to sea and turned right round. She seemed to have little or no way on. A heavy sea took her and she ran in with her head towards the north beach. Another sea carried her in a considerable distance and she broached to, having absolutely no way on. The following sea turned her o.'er Witness rtver knew the captain complain that the Mahoe was a bad vessel to steer, nor had the engineer stated that he considered his employment dangerous. There would be six feet on the bar during moderate weather at the tim» of the disaster. The range on a day like the accident would be about three feet. He had never known the Mahoe to have trouble in crossing the Waitara bar before. To Mr. Roy: "Bar dangerous" meant either not sufficient water, too much current, or too much sea. To Captain Waller: He put the signal up because he considered it would be imprudent for the Mahoe to take the bar. To Mr. Bennett: The "bar dangerous" signal is not a prohibition to take the bar. That signal is: "Put to sea." He could not say whether or not the captain intended to take the bar. It was not unusual for a captain in the Mahoe's position to take a turn out of the ves.-el to survey the position. !To the president: "Bar dangerous" practically meant that the captain of a vess'il came in at hip own risk. Had he thought the captain would attempt the tar he would have put up the "put to sea" signal, though there would have been very little time. Witness was under naif a mile from the vessel at tho time of the disaster. It was the state of the sea that caused the vessel to broach to, and not the steering or want rf way. 1o Mr. Bennett: Being carried in on a big sea meant loss of control, and the vessel would then broach to. To the president: It was not bumping the bar that caused her to come round. George Herberi Mellar, ordinary seaman on board the Mahoe, deposed that the weather was moderately bad when tlfc vessel left Awakino between 12.30 and 1 p.m. on January 24. As well as he could judge it was about 5.15 p.m. when they approached the bar. Witness had been sleeping, but when approaching the bar the motion of the boat woke him and he came on deck. Captain Roberts was at the wheel and the engineer was also on deck. Three balls were hoisted at the flagstaff, indicating "bar dangerous." The engineer then went below. Captain Roberts then approached the bar, had a look at it and then took a turn out of the ship. On coming back into line with the beacons the sea struck the ship astern and she ran on this sea for some distance. The ship broacned to. Witness looked forward to see if she was picking up way, but there appeared to be no movement. Witness then looked out to sea and saw a large wave on the point of breaking over them. At the same time he saw that the helm was hard aport and the telegraph "full ahead." That wave caught them broadside on and capsized them. Witness had been two or three years a seaman and had served on board I for 10 months on the Mahoe, and last LMf WM fat a gociod o£ jU»M or four

months. On every trip witness used to take the wheel for half the voyage aftcf crossing the bar. At Awakino she took SO bales of wool, two bundles of akins and a bundle of empty sacks below Jiatches, also 11 bales of wool on deck. All was made secure. The cargo was smaller than usual. He also corroborated the evidence of previous witness regarding the captain and engineer and the seaworthiness of the vessel.

To Mr. Bennett: Did not cheek the cargo carried and may have been a bale or two out cither way. The bales were mixed sizes. There was a iicavv ground swell as they approached the' Waitara bar, and the wind was a strong southwester.

To Captain Berg: Captain Roberts gave no instructions to witness on approaching the bar as to closing the hatchway or anything else. Witness stated that when Jie said the helm was hard a-port he meant the wheel, which would put the helm hard a-starboard.

John William Townsend, Government Surveyor of Ships, deposed that he inspected the Mahoe on December 21, 1918, and. found everything in good order and all the requirements of the Marine Department complied with, including the life saving apparatus. Witness had been fifteen years at sea and considered that for her trade there could be scarcely anything better than the Mahoe. He had always found Mr. Ogle willing to give every possible assistance in providing the law's requirements. As a marine engineer he considered that if the engines had stopped at. a critical time the engineer would have, immediately called for assistance from the deck and certainly have reported to the master.

To Mr. Bennett: The certificates of the captain and engineer were produced at the time of the inspection and the vessel was properly manned. David Scott, engineer, deposed that he was the holder of a second class engineer's certificate for vessels driven by power other than steam, with over 20 years' experience. He had been employed on the Mahoe from December 1915 to May, 1917 and found that the \ongines worked" satisfactorily. It was usual on this coast when the bar was signalled as dangerous for the ship to stand in and the master take a close survey of the bar conditions. He did not consider the Mahoe was overloaded.

To the president: The vessel was not loaded to her full capacity. To Mr. Eyre.: Il the engine broke down when the j_essel was in a critical position and the breakdown was beyond his repairing, he would immediately get on deck and report to the master. Mr Mellar, recalled, stated that at the time of the mishap the vessel was drawing about 4ft 6in aft and 2ft 6in to 2ft 9in forward.

Leslie P. McClelland, an employee of Mr. W. J. R. Avery, Awakino, who had charge of the wharf at the time, deposed that the Mahoe's load was 48 bales of wool, two bundles of skins and one bundle of empty sacks. The load was not checked at Awakino, the checking being done at Waitara. He did not consider the vessel overloaded, having seen her carry greater loads.

Mr. Eyre submitted the following questions to the consideration of the Court. (1) Was the wreck the result of any fault or defect of the Mahoe or her manning, loading or maehinrey? (2) Was the wreck due to any negligence on the part of the master or to any error of judgment on his part in the navigation of the vessel? (3) Was the wreck due to accident or circumstance beyond ordinary control? After some deliberation the Court asked that another witness, the boy named John Ogle, who was aboard the Mahoe, should be called This witness said that he was lyin? down until he got near the bar, when lie went up on deck and stood alongside the captain, who told him to hoid on tight when the wave was coming. He did not remember hearing the captain pass any remark about the bar, nor did he hear anything that made him think the captain was anxious to get home that night. To the president: That was his first trip on the Mahoe. Witness thought they might not get in to Waitara as the tide was low, but he never made any remark to the captain. To Captain Berg: At one time Captain Roberts told witness he did not think that he would be able to get in. Mr. Mellar told witnesa to come out of the cabin. To the president: It was just a few minutes before the capsize that Captain Roberts told witness that he did not think he could get in. To Mr. Eyre: When the vessel was broadside on the bow was pointing New Plymouth way. G. H. Mellar, recalled, in reply to Captain Waller, stated that the seas broke further out than usual and the vessel stopped for observation purposes further out than usual. After surveying the bar and taking the round turn there was nothing to lead witness to believe that the captain was likely to take the bar. To the president: He believed that he had crossed the bar with Captain Roberts on one occasion <vhen the "bar dangerous signal was up. On anoti.er occasion they hud run to New Plymouth. It was generally understood that "bar dangerous" left tlie matte, to the captain's discretion. Had the captain intended to cross tli... bar he would not have needed to \-. iu n witness, as everything necessary, such as the closing of the hatches, etc, had been done. The Court then retired and on resuming gave their finding. After briefly reviewing the evidence the finding was that in the opinion of the Court the wreck was not the result of any fault or defect of the Mahoe, her manning, loading or machinery. The Court found that there was not any negligence or error of judgment on the part of the late master, James Mowat Roberts, in the. navigation of the vessel. The wreck was due to the heavy seas prevailing at the time on the Waitara bar. No order was made as to costs. WHY SUFFER WITH ECZEMA? Why toss on your bed at night, and scratch your burning skin? Although Eczema is the most common of all skin diseases, and often results from a trifling exposure to heat, or ocld, do not underestimate its danger. It- often becomes chronic, causes dreadful suffering and disfigurement, and even blindness" deafness, or loss of hair. P.exona, tlie Rapid Healer, is a dire enemy to Eczema, as well as to all other skin diseases. Rexona will make your skin healthy, destroy the germs of the disease for ever, and cause the building up of new skin tissue. A hot bath with Rexona Soap, gentle anointing with Rexona Ointment, a pleasant treatment, result—sleep quietly, skin soothed 'anil healed, while soop all trace of the disease leaves you. You are lien.lthv. Eczema yields to the powerful healing influences of Rexona, the Rapid He"aler Price, 1/fi and 3/-. Obtainable everywhere. '