THE ROTORUAO-ROWAITI COLLISION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6739, 31 December 1889, Page 3

THE ROTORUAO-ROWAITI COLLISION.

«. At the Christc'aurcb. Evident LTagistrate's Court this morning, Mr E. Bo? tbsm, E.M., witli Captains 3m. A4a.iT and John • Scouller, Nautical Assessors, gwro judjjI raent re the above collision. Mr Alexander Eose, Collector of Customs, attended, and Mr H. N. Nalder appeared as heretofore. They found that the collision happened off the , Kaikonras on Dec. 7, at 2.30 a.m. That the loss or damage appeared by the evidence to have bsen caused by collision between the Orowaiti and Eotoiua during ; adenae fog, and that it could not be attri- , buted directly to the speed at which the [ Eotorua was running. Thac the natui-e of I the loss or damage done was serious, and he ; found i— (1) That the regulations as to the use of the steam-whistle during a fog were complied with by the master of the Eotorua. (2) That the Eotorua wa3 driven at the rate of eleven knots an hour, or . thereabouts, from the time of her leaving Wellington until the steam-whistle of the Orowaiti was heard. (3) That she was driven at that speed, for the moat part of the time, through intermittent fog, and for the half -hour immediately preceding the collision through, a dense fog, contrary to the provisions of Article 13 of the Kegulatioi^i for Preventing • Collisions at Sea. (4) That the master of th<i Eotonia has b.on guilty of great ne*j; r ;«r.ce in disregarding the regulations aforesaid, by driving his ship at her ordinary rate of speed through a dense j fog. (5) That the collision cannot be j attributed directly to the speed at which I I the vessel was going. (6) That after the j | collision the ornate r of the Eotcrua , displayed good and careful seamanship. ! (7) That the maßter of the Eotorua, Eobert Neville, ia deserving of grave cenoure/ '■■ inasmuch as he ignored Article 18 of the | regulations aforesaid, and that ho be I I ordered to pay the coßts of the said I enquiry, JS7 7b. \ Be the Orowaiti, tiiey foald that (l)tiio '■'■■ '■ ' ■ • -■• ■ •'.'■ • • ■'■■■ ■"..■'''■■\ "• ■

Orowaiti was driven at a moderate speed ; through the fog, namely, eight knota per ' hour; (2) that the regulations as to the ; use of the steamer's whistle were complied ; with by the master of the Orowaiti j (3) that the master of the Orowaiti displayed good and careful seamanship.