WRECK OF THE KIA ORA

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9424, 24 December 1908, Page 1

WRECK OF THE KIA ORA

SENSATIONAL STAT Jfi MENTS. [PiCR 1 J RRSS As«UCIATION.] AUCKLAND, Dccombor 2M. A marine inquiry into the circumstances of the wreck of tlio scow Kia Ora near Kawau Avas oommoiicod this afternoon. Mr Mays, avlio roprcsontod the Marinn Department, .said that CJossrr, t)i(» sole survivor, bad told several contradictory stories. The observations ot : tlioe who visited the wreck absolutely discredited (ho story of fjosset. It was. a mass of discrepancies. It. was so much so that it would he extremely difficult to arrive at the truth. The vessel shouM not have hf.en at Kawau at the time (liwot said that, she (struck, if tho other tin'^s l'.f h;id piven wero correct this would have to bo explained away. 'J he story that he and the i > iereoy'.< clunu; to ;i rock for seven hours, at night, was entirely* discredited by the e.xi)erietice of all who knew the place. The most important matter that Gosset •would have to explain array, said Mr Mays, was that before he had told the pressmen that the captain had the wheel ofc the time that- the- scow struck, he had told ;i person that lie (Cosset) had hi'c-ii &t tho wheel at that time. lv a certain place in the reef they had reason to believe the bodies ot the I'iercys and Young were lyinji., and they proposed to ask for an adjournment to have^ a thorough sea- roll ntado. The enso was accordingly adjourned.