COURT OPENS INQUIRY INTO MANAIA DISASTER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17882, 25 June 1926, Page 5

COURT OPENS INQUIRY INTO MANAIA DISASTER.

CAPTAIN SAYS THIRD MATE WAS LEFT IN CHARGE OF BRIDGE; HAD NOT DONE TRIP BEFORE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, June 25. The Nautical Court has begun an inquiry into the loss of the steamer Manaia, near Slipper Island, on the night of June 10. The Court comprises Mr C. E. Cutten, S.M., and Captains Smith and Lane (assessors).

Captain Norbury, in evidence, said that he held a New Zealand master's certificate for foreign trade. He had been master in the Northern Steamship Company for forty years, and was well familiar with the Tauranga run. On the night of June 10 the weather was fairly clear, although there was a rainstorm before he left Tauranga. At 7.50 p.m. he shaped his course when about a mile and a half clear of the Karewa rocks, which he couid see quite clearly. lie set the course west by north quarter north. The Manaia had a list to port, and with the port propellor working more than the starboard he 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 Island. The course set was the same as on the previous trip. In much the same weather on the last trip the visibility was good. Between the rain squalls there was very little wind and very little sea. The compasses were adjusted at the last inspection in September. After the course was set he left the third mate. J. Hare, in charge of the bridge while he went to his room to read the newspaper. The third mate, he believed, had not previousl}’

been on the Tauranga run. A seaman named Boate was at the wheel. The usual instructions were given to give all headlands one mile clearance, etc. He told the third mate to call him at 11.15 p.m., when he expected Slipper to be four or five miles to the south, but when he went back on the bridge at the time mentioned Slipper should have been plainly in view. Mr Meredith (for the Marine Department) : You think the mate should have seen Slipper? Norbury: Yes. If the visibility was anywav good he should hax*e seen it seven or eight miles off. He saw Mayor Island at a further distance at 11.15 p.m. He (Norbury) was standing under the bridge sheltering from the rain, and could see nothing from there. As the rain came harder he went on the bridge and asked the third mate if it had been raining all along. He replied: No, only passing squalls. He asked had he seen anything. lie replied: Yes. There's the Slipper. Witness saw land about a mile off. They would have been in a perfectly safe position had it been Slipper Island. The mate then said: There’s land ahead. Almost immediately the Manaia crashed on to a reef. It was 11.32 p.m.