CAPSIZE OF SCOW ECHO

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1932, Page 9

CAPSIZE OF SCOW ECHO

SQUALL OBSCURES LICHTS ■ EVIDENCE GIVEN AT INQUIRY HEAVY LIST AFTER STRIKING. COURT RESERVES ITS FINDING. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A magisterial inquiry into the capsizing of the scow Echo on November 25 was held to-day before Mr. E. Page, S.M.,.and Captains Wilkinson and Dewhurst. The court’s decision wifi be announced. to-morrow. , Captain W.. O. Jarman said the Echo left Blenheim at 1 p.m. with about 60 tons of cargo in a light southerly and a smooth' sea. About 7.15 the wind increased and continued to increase and become more squally. He went forward himself and put the mate and lookout on the' port side to watch for lights" inside the harbour. Just before striking he estimated the ship was a quarter of a mile from the shore, below the Pencarrow light. He altered the course but he was a few yards short and the ship struck. She was stuck for five or ten minutes. There was a moderate to heavy sea. The ship slewed off, but in the meantime the wheel chain carried away and the ship could not be steered. He attempted to steer with the engine and began to come up the harbour, but the control was insufficient and he dropped anchor l about 10.30. The ship was making water and had a very heavy list to port. The mate sent SOS Morse signals and later asked for a tug.

The master, decided- at 12.20 a.m. to abandon the ship, which was then well down in the water. He . attributed ( the accident to heavy rain coming on just as they were crossing the entrance and trying to pick up the light. - It shut out all the inside lights and blurred the Pencarrow light. Five men were looking out for the lights, and saw, none. SEEN FROM THE' BEACON. Frank Edward Puddidk, who was on duty at the signal station at Beacon Hill when the Echo was . making the harbour entrance, said when he first saw the Echo she was about a mile outside. There was then a strong breeze to a moderate gate blowing, with heavy rain squalls. Witness called tip the vessel but got no reply, and it was not until 10.30 p.m. when he received a message that the vessel was sinking that he learned it was the Ech0,.... He considered the Echo struck on a pillar of rock. Edward Alfred Rate, mate of the Echo, said that, .just after the ship struck he was. ordered to get in touch with- Wei-, lington by radio, but. the aerial was down, and before he could do anything water came into the cabin and put the set out of action. He then Morsed an SOS and received a flash in reply. Witness said that if the squall had come ten minutes earlier or ten minutes later there would have been no need for an inquiry. “In fact, anyone with a powered ship at the time would have turned around and gone out to sea again,’ added the witness in referring to the lack of visibility.

VESSEL -NOT INSURED. Charles Alexander Eckford, managing.; director of T. Eckford Co., Ltd., owners, of the Echo, said the vessel was not insured; Of the-’ cargo; however, the wool, butter, cheese and barley were insured by-the owners. The estimated cost of repairs to the hull would be about' £609? He never had any doubt of Captain Jarrnin’s ability as'master. Robert D. Anderson, A.B. on the Echo, corroborated the evidence of the masterand other members of the crew on the subject of the weather. Stafford Thomas William Adams, another A.B. who had gone bn watch : at 8 p.ih., gave details of the courses' set. This concluded the evidence.

Mr." Prendeville submitted the two following questions to the court: (a) What was the cause of the accident? (b) was any blame'attachable to the master? Mr.; Foden, addressing the court, said the explanation of the accident was the nature of the weather and the fact that a squall had come just at the moment it had/ It was clear that a particularly good lockout had been kept, and the very fact that not one of the men had been able to estimate the ship’s positionsuggested there was ample explanation. If any one. of the inner or outer lights had been picked up the master could have altered his course suitably. In making sure he would clear Barrett’s Reef the master had kept, rather long on the course, which took him to the other side of the entrance. If the light could have been seen all would have been well." His error, Mr. Foden suggested, had been one of over-caution. He submitted that the incident might reasonably be put down to misadventure. From . the evidence there was nothing which showed the master in a bad light.