MANAIA WRECK.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 26 June 1926, Page 9

MANAIA WRECK.

NAUTICAL INQUIRY. By Telegraph—Press Association. .AUCKLAND, June 25. "ho Nautical Court opened the inquiry into the loss of the steamer Alanaia on Slipper Island on the night of Juno 10. Tho Court is comprised of Mr E. C. Outton, S.M., Captains Smith and Lane. Captain Norburv, in evidence, said be held a New Zealand master’s certificate for foreign trade. He had been a master in the Northern Steamship Company for forty years. He was familiar with flic Tanraiiga run. On t-ho night- of June 10, the weather was fairly clear, although there was a rainstorm before bo left Tanranga at 7.50 p.m._ Ho shaped liis course when about a mile am' a half clear of Karcwhn rocks, which L'e could see quite clearly, lie set his course west by north, quarter north. The Manaia. bad a list to part, and with the port pro-I-ellor working more than the starboard bo estimated the steamer would make at least a quarter of a. point to starboard, which should have taken him a good three miles off Slipper. The course set was the same as on the previous trip, in much the same weather. On the la.<t trip tho visibility was good between the rain squalls. There was very little wind and verv litlle sea. The compasses were adjusted at the last inspection in September. After iho course was set, be loft the third mate, •T. Hare, in charge <,f (be bridge, while he wont to his room to read a newspaper. The third mate, bo believed, hail not previously been on the Tauraiipi run. A .seaman named Boafe was at the wheel. The usual instructions were given to give to all headlands one mile clearance,' eic, Witness io’d the third mate to call him at 11.15 when ho expected Slipper to be four or five miles to the roulli, but when be went back on the bridge at the time mentioned, Slipper should have been plainIv in view.

Mr Meredith (for the Marino Department) : You think the mate should have seen Slipper? Captain Norburv: Yes. If visibility was anyway good lie should have scon it- seven or eight miles off. He saw Mayor Island a 1 the further distance. At. 11.15 p.m. be (Captain Norburv 1 was standing under the bridge, sheltering from the rain. He could sec nothing from there, ns the vain cmne harder. He went on the bridge and asked the (bird male if it bad been raining all along- He replied, no. only passing cqualls Asked bad be seen anything, be replied: “Yes. 1 bore’s the Slipper, ’’ Witness saw land about a mile off. That would have been a perfectly safe position had it been Slipper. Tlie mate then said: “There's land abend.” Almost ininied' - '!elv D-c xr-mnia crashed on the reef. It- was 11.32 p.m._ ’['be beo’-iuir was ndieorned.