NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 1 July 1924, Page 7

NAUTICAL INQUIRY.

ACCIDENT TO PAKEIIA. By Telegraph. —Preys Association. .WELLINGTON, June 20. At the inquiry into tne niisnap to the PaKeini at iiiuir, the chief o«icer, Alexander Black, who was on duty at tne forecastle nead at the time the steamer grounded, said, that lie did not notice any unusual happening.

Allred Edward 'Cooper, second engineer, wlio was on duty in tne engineroom, also failed to experience anything unusual. i At thuis stage Air Prendeville read a telegram from the* Bluff Harbour Board, protesting against an inquiry being Held without siithcieiit notice to enable counsel apd witnesses from Bluff to attend. It was pointed out that no satisfactory instructions could bo given to counsel on the spur or the moment, and the Board strongly uig6d in justice to the Board that the inquuy should be adjourned to Bluff, where the evidence of the pilot staff could be taken. . Mr Riddell said it was impossible to deal with the matter at that sitting. He thought that the case should be' adjourned until the ship came back. It was only proper that the Bluff Harbour Board should be represented. Roy Kingsly Bannerford, second officer, who' assisted in taking soundings in the neighbourhood of the Recurrence, said they made investigations and discovered a rock at a depth of less than 24ft 6in. When a diver wont down shortly afterwards, however, ho cduld not locate it, probably owing to the fact that the water was anything but clear. After hearing further evidence it was decided to adjourn the hearing sine die, in order to give the Bluff Harbour Board a chance to produce witnesses, and state a case from their standpoint.