The Obserber.

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 34, 7 May 1881, Page 360

The Obserber.

Saturday, May 7th, ISSI. Many of those who read the leader in Monday's Star, relative to the "Tararua" disaster, were disposed to think the strictures on the unfortunate captain somewhat severe and uncalled for. At first Aye rather inclined to this view ourselves, hut a little reflection has convinced us that tlie Star was in a measure, though hy no means altogether, right. De mortuis nil nisi bomim is a good rule enough in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, hut when it hecomes necessary to expose a dead man's faults in the interests of the community, it is mawkishly, nay wickedly, sentimental to he silent. There can, we fear, he no doubt (if the information to hand is reliable) that the onus of the loss of the Tararua lies with her luckless master. The Star, however, falls into an absurd error when it attempts to infer that if the mate had been left to manage the ship the catastrophe wouldn't have occurred. The steamer had been steered all night by the skipper's orders, and the chief officer couldn't alter the course (liowever much he might wish to) without his boss's permission. Various explanations have been given as to how Captain Garrard came to mistake his position. One is that there is a powerful tide rip and current in the neighbourhood of the Otara reef, and that it drove the ship further in shore than he anticipated. Captain Malcolm says people would be surprised if they knew how many narrow escapes there have been in this vicinity. The Union Company have again and again begged the Government to place a light there, and inspectors even went down to select a suitable spot. Why they did not do so has not transpired, but it is presumed they couldn't agree on the sxibject. Sea-faring men tell us the "Tararua" ought not to have been so near in shore, and that this habit of "shaving " corners is a very common one with coastal boats. It is a known fact, too, that the Union Company's steamers are frequently pressed for time, and that the directors look coldly on a captain who doesn't keep to his dates. The "Tararua" could not, however, have been hurrying on this occasion, as she left Dunedin punctually, and had plenty of time to reach the Bluff to date. ,_. * '