GREYCLIFFE INQUIRY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20005, 23 November 1927, Page 9

GREYCLIFFE INQUIRY

THE PILOT’S EVIDENTS FERRY STEAMER’S FATAL CHANGE OF COURSE Received Nov. 22, 11 p.m. JA. & N.Z.) SYDNEY, Nov- 22. At the Greycliffe inquiry Captain Carson, cross-examined regarding the positions ami speeds of the two steamers, reiterated that he believed that If th© Greycliffe had not altered the course she was steering just before the collision, there would have been no collision. He said there was ample distance for both steamers. If the Greycliffe had eased or reversed* after the Tahiti blew the two blasts, he did not think there would have been a collision. Both he and the aptain of the Tahiti were keeping a sharp lookout on the ferry boat. After giving the two whistles he immediately ordered the helm hard astarboard and the Taniti very quickly swung to port. The Tahiti had been ordered full speed ahead and was proceeding under those orders’until he ordered the engines astern, but not at any time did the speed exceed eight knots, as steamers never got full speed in a harbour. He did. everything possible after the Greycliffe changed her course to obtain the maximum deflection. At no time did the position present any danger at ill until the Greycliffe suddenly changed her course. Ferry steamers approached much closer than the Tahiti and the Greycliffe were up to the time of the eollisiouCaptain Carson considered there was sufficient space and time to meet any reasonable development and maintained that the course taken by the Greycliffe was not reasonable. Mr Justice Campbell, who is presiding at the inquiry, here remarked that The action taken oy the Greycliffe was quite incomprehensible. She had no light to be on that course at all. Cecil Sharpe, chief officer of the Tahiti, gave similar evidence to Captain Carson’s and produced engine room and deck logs of the Tahiti in support of the evidence. Sharpe, in reply to questions, said he did not know what speed the Tahiti was making, but quoted a deck log entry just before the collision, which showed half speed ahead for five minutes. He expected her speed would be six knots, but he would not deny that after going full speed for five minutes the Tahiti would be doing 13 knots.