THE RIPPLE INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1924, Page 5

THE RIPPLE INQUIRY.

i FURTHER EVIDENCE. EVERYTHING POSSIBLE DONE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Sept. 17. The magisterial inquiry into the loss of the Ripple continued to-day. Horace Baldwin, ships’ surveyor, said the Ripple’s boiler was 23 years’ old. There waa a defect in her furnaces in December, 1923, which was remedied, Edmond Benson, fireman, who left the steamer the day before she sailed, said he could find no fault with her. He did not wish to sail in a better boat He had never, in a period of nine years on and off the Ripple, known any trouble with the engines and boilers, except a leak l in the combustion chamber. James Henderson, ship's officer, formerly on the Ripple, sai<t she was a sea boat, excellently found. He had about seven years’ service on her and there had never been a breakdown. She carried sails, but they were not often used. If on the day she sailed the cargo was in proper trim and she was loaded within 18 inches of the load line, she would be light, but in good trim. Captain Peter Petersen, Wellington representative of the owners of the Ripple, said she was a full ship on the day" she sailed. He detailed inquiries made about the Ripple after receiving the message that she was in distress. After consulting the Union Steam Ship Company’s officials it was decided the only thing that could be done was to divert the Mararoa. He then telephoned the manager of his company at Napier, asking him to arrange for assistance from there, and was advised that the Trawling Company’s Futurist, then in Wellington, was available to do anything she could. Witness detailed the measures taken to equip the Futurist with towing material. The Union Company suggested sending out the Kaitoke, but her search proved in vain. The Futurist also failed to see her. Witness detailed the effort to communi- | cate with all vessels in the vicinity.

Captain Petersen declared he did all he could, and the company had done the same. No vessel in Wellington harbour could have reached Palliser sooner than the Mararoa, from where the wireless message reached her. There was nothing in his conversation with Captain Norling or the chief officer about going to sea. Wellington, Last Night. At the Ripple inquiry, Frederick Charles Howell, assistant secretary to the Seamen’s Union, called by Mr. Young, stated that he was alongside the Ripple o n August 6 between 1 and 2.15 o’clock and he noticed that the vessel had a list of from 8 to 10 degrees. Later the list appeared to be more pronounced. Some person who was present at the time drew his attention to the list, but he did not take much notice of it. He said to the person in question that when the remainder of the cargo had been loaded the vessel would adjust itself. ... Under cross-examination witness stated that he did not consider there was any danger or he would have warned the crew. This concluded the evidence. Mr. Young expressed his desire to 'address the court, but the bench stated that they had heard all the evidence that was available and they did not wish to hear addresses on the matter. The inquiry was adjourned for the decision of the bench, which will be delivered on Saturday.