THE STRANDING OF THE MANAKAU.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143785, 8 May 1912, Page 7

THE STRANDING OF THE MANAKAU.

MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY

An inquest into the circumstances surrounding the stranding of the s.s. Manakau at Waitara on March 12 was held at tho Court-house, New Plymouth, this morning. Tho assessors were Mr. A Crooke, S.M., and Captains Holford (New Plymouth) and J. Thompson (Waitara). Mr. J. H. Hcmpton. Collector of Customs, appeared for the Marine Department. John Oscar Berg, certificated master of the Manakau, said ho left Mokau for Waitara on March 12. About 6.20 p.m. on that day he approached the iVaitara bar when it was quite daylight. He conversed with the Waitara pilot from Mokau at 2 p.m., and the arrangement made was that a green light was to bo exhibited on the flagstaff in case the harbour was not made till dark. When he approached tho bar he could see the beacons plainly. The weather was squally and the winds N.N.AA ~ with a velocity of 15 miles an hour. The sea was not heavy, and tho tide was 2hr. and ISmin. after high tide. His course was made according to the beacons. He first steered in a line with the flagstaff and beacon, but when approaching the spit end, after crossing the bar, he found he had lost the back beacon, A sudden squall had sprung up and obscured it. Tho ship then struck on the starboard side of the channel. Ho did not take any soundings when crossing the bar, although it is perhaps usual to do so. There was no time to niter the course when ho found he had lost tho beacon. When the vessel struck he went astern on his engines. There was too much sea for him to put out an anchor to haul from.

To Captain Holford: There was no signal hoisted to keep him from entering. Tho sea, prior to reaching the bar, was squally. He considered it quite prudent, notwithstanding tho sea running, to enter tho bar on the day of the accident. It took him about 1 ( minutes to enter the channel proper after crossing the bar. It was not necessarily essential for him to have made port that night. On the following tide the sea had increased a good deyi, and the vessel commenced to tumble aliout. Being stranded on a stony bench she commenced to make water. The cargo was removed on the second day, and ho finally abandoned the vessel four days after the stranding. The vessel had opened out so that she would not float. The ship might possibly have still been intact had lie waited for the next tide. He attributed the stranding to the sudden squall obliterating the back beacon. To Captain Thompson: The exact time of the stranding was 6.25 p.m. His experience of tho Waitara bar extended over a few thousand trips. In piloting lighters over the bar lie had worked in nil weather conditions, lie had also entered on many occasions under circumstances similar to those on March 12.

John William Laing pilot and signalman of the Fort of Waitara, remembered the day of tho Manakau’s wreck. At tho time of the stranding ho was on the north side of the river by the back beacon. According to the agreement made between himself and Capt. Berg, he was to have shown the green light if there was not sufficient water. In the event of there being no signals shown, Capt. Berg was to enter as usual. At the time of tho stranding there would bo about "ft. Gin. of water in tho channel, which was approximately 40ft. wide. There was a good fresh breeze blowing at the time, a moderate sea running, and the weather was very squally. At the time of the grounding of tho vessel there was a very heavy squall, which hid the beacons. To Captain Holford: The draught of the Manakau was Gft. 6in., and there

was plenty of water in the channel. Had ho been in charge of the Manakau on the fatal night lie would have taken the bar, that is if ho had the experience of Captain Berg. He did not think it possible for the Manakau to have travelled from the bar into the channel proper in less than three minutes. It was an exceptionally heavy and thick squall at tho time of the stranding, but he considered there was ample time between the squalls to make the harbour. At the stranding point the sea invariably interferes with the steering. Hugh Alexander Caldcr, engineer of the ill-fated vessel, said the Manakau was going “slow” over the bar and again when she took tho ground. His

instructions from the bridge were to go full speed astern when the ground was touched. Henry William Jones, an A.B. for eighteen months on the Manakau, corrofxirated tho previous witness’ evidence. Ho was on duty and remembered the night of the stranding. Arthur AV. Ogle, one of the owners of tho Manakau, said the vessel was not insured. She •was schooner rigged and registered at Auckland. The registered tonnage was 45 tons, and the gross approximately 69 tons. FINDING OF THE COURT. CAPTAIN EXONERATED. The finding of the assessors, which was delivered this afternoon was as follows ;—Tho court finds, after consideration of tho evidence, that tho wreck was caused by a thick squall suddenly obliterating the back beacon on tho second course, and that no blame is attachable to the master or any member of the crew. Tho certificate of the captain and engineer will bo returned. No order was made as to costs.