ECHO OF SHIPWRECK.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1925, Page 10

ECHO OF SHIPWRECK.

THE LOSS OF THE RIPPLE. WIDOW CLAIMS £l'soo DAMAGES. WAS CARGO PROPERLY STOWED? By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A claim by Maud Ellen Nicholson, widow of the late chief officer of the Ripple, which was lost in a storm off Cape Palliser on August 7, 1924, for .£l5OO damages from the owners of the steamer, Richardson and Company, Napier, is being heard by Mr. Justice Alpers in the Supreme Court Plaintiffs case alleges that the ship went to sea in an unseaworthy condition owing to the way the cargo was stowed, and the company did not ascertain the advice of the Government meteorologist as to the prospects of danger in the storm. Arthur Page, lighthouse-keeper at Cape Palliser. said that on the night in question he saw a vessel at sea three miles off. The vessel sent up an S.O.S. about 12.20. He found that she was •the Ripple. He got in ,touch with Featherston and then with Wellington. The Ripple asked if he had established communication with Wellington. He got in touch with Captain Peterson, who stated that he was sending the tug Terawhiti from Wellington. About 2 p.m. the vessel disappeared. He had never seen a more severe storm on the East Coast than that of that night. A STORM PREDICTED. Daniel Bates, director of the meteorological office, produced records dealing with the date. He had forecasted a disturbance and a storm eventuated on August 5. On the morning of August 6 he issued a special warning of heavy gales northward of Cook Strait. A storm developed, especially in the evening. The centre of the storm was at Cape Palliser. The seas would be at their worst there between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. In practice he was often rung up by captains of vessels as to the weather likely to obtain. He told them that they were risking their lives by going to sea under certain conditions. Joseph William Friar, a watersider employed in loading the Ripple, said she was a most difficult vessel to load. She was likely to flop any way and had to be loaded with extreme care or she would list. He thought casks were the most dangerous kind of cargo to stow and should not under any circumstance* 'be used to trim a boat. Casks were dangerous cargo on deck as they were difficult to secure and .eaqily biokfe loose. Robert Edwards, plumber, and Martin Johnston, second cook of the Kamo. deposed to the Ripple having a decided list to port when leaving the harbour. At this stage a witness for the defence, Captain Martin, master of th(» Waitoa, was called. He said the Waitoa left later than the Ripple. Five others left the same afternoon. “A TOUCHY SHIP.” Frederick Howell, able seaman, assistant secretary to the Seamen’s Union, said he had worked on the Ripple and ■had assisted in loading the vessel. She was a touchy ship and required careful loading. The Ripple had a list. If Captain Tomlinson said he had examined the Ripple before she sailed and that she had no list he woukl be committing perjury, and so would other witnesses who made similar statements. Witness did not know the Ripple was sailing with such a list. Had he known that it would have been his duty to have advised the seamen to leave the vessel rather than take her to sea. Mr. Watson (for the defendants) at this stage asked for a non-suit on the grounds that there was no negligence on the part of the defendants or that the deceased met his death as the result of any negligence. There was no evidence that the cargo was wrongly stowed. His Honour said there was evidence that there was a preponderance of casks on one side. The case was adjourned.