THE BOAT ACCIDENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6513, 16 June 1899, Page 1

THE BOAT ACCIDENT.

[Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, June 15/ ' The. Government has decided to hold a Departmental enquiry into the Hinemoa boating accident, with a view to ascertaining if the work the boat was engaged in at the time of tke accident was more than usually hazardous. [From Our Correspondent.] It is believed in marine circles that the result of the enquiry into the boat accidaut.at East Island will exonerate Captain Bolloris, of the Hinemoa, from blame, also that the Marine Department will be exculpated from any charge of negligence or incapacity. It has been alleged in some quarters that Captain Bollons was to blame in risking the lives of the chief mate and boat's crew by not clearly pointing out the risk, and issuing cautionary instructions, but, in reply to this Wymark, one of the survivors, says ' that the captain twice warned Mr Brown not to run any risks. The second time was as the boat was pass ing round the stern of the steamer, when he again repeated, "Mind you run no risks." In response to that, the chief mate merely raised his hand in a deprecatory manner, apparently making light of the danger, or dismissing with a wave of the hand the assumption that he did not know his duty, or was not equal to the emergency. This is Wymark's version, and being one of the survivors who escaped by a miracle, having been for some time under the boat, he ought to know. When the boat passed the rocks, the chief mate ordered the crew to lay-to, whilst he scanned, the small inlet, but suddenly a heavy sea struck her, and put her broadside on. Even in this perilous predicament, the crew might have managed to get the boat with her head to the sea, but whilst the men were struggling to . effect this, a second mountainous . wave came from another direction round a turn, where it could not be observed, and overwhelmed the boat broadside on. Wymark was assisting the chief mate in getting the boat's head on, when be was carried overboard. He is unable to ; say whether the injury to his leg was caused by the oar, or by getting for a moment jammed under the boat. When he rose to the surface, he saw Mr Brown struggling in a heavy sea, and thought he wag swimming strongly, but he heard a cry of, " Save me," just as the officer was near the shore, and then ■ lost sight of him. Wymark disbelieves the report that the other man, who clung to the rock, was taken under by a shark.- His theory is that he was seized with cramp, the water being bitterly cold. As to other matters, the boat was built after one of the best-known designs for surf-work, and all the officers and crew were specially selected for. their fitness for the work, the practice of the Marine Department being to compel all the officers and crews of the Government steamers to undergo a year's training in the management of boats in a heavy sea, before being entrusted with dangerous duties similar to the attempted landing at East* Island. I understand that it has been arranged that Captain Bolloris will personally take charge of any landing in the future. As all the material required for the lighthouse has been landed, it will not be necessary in future to land .at East Island oftener than once in every three months.