DOLPHIN TRAGEDY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 244, 16 October 1939, Page 6

DOLPHIN TRAGEDY

SALVAGE WORK COMMENCED t NEW THEORY OF SINKING [ Per Preas Aseociation ] CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 14 Salvage operations were begun to- ) clay in an effort to raise the sunken - trawler Dolphin, which went to th. bottom of Lyttelton Harbour with her i owner, Mr. Frederic!. James Brasseil, t after being sunk by a harbour defence - gun on Thursday. It is hoped that a e pile-driver’s powerful hoisting gear will be capable of pulling the Dolphin r to the surface. Thus supported she - will then be towed into port by a tug. ) One theory of the sinking which is 1 gaining some support in Lyttelton is 1 that the Dolphin was sunk by a rico1 chet and not by a direct hit. A work- < man on the dredge Canterbury is said 2 to have been watching the fort and he s saw the gun fired. He says he saw - something splash in the water on the c landward side of the vessel a moment r before she was hit. ; THE DOLPHIN RAISED J OWNER’S BODY RECOVERED 1 t , I Per Press Association. I CHRISTCHURCH. Oct. 15. The body of Frederick James 1 Brasseil, who lost his life when the fishing launch Dolphin was struck b;, a shot from the shore battery in Lyt* telton Harbour on Thursday, was tecovered last night after the Dolphin I hf t d been raised by the Harbour Board’s pile-driving pontoon. o The inquest was opened this mornr ing before Mr. F. F. Reid, and was adjourned after evidence of identificaR tion had been given. The coroner ordered a post-mortem examination to s be made. The successful raising of the big " launch was the culmination of man./ hours of patient work under trying 1 conditions by a band of volunteer ' helpers, consisting of fishermen and shipwright workers. Wire hawsers were taken from the Dolphin to the pontoon's winch, and the launch wa.< 2 raised to the surface, after which the tug, Lyttelton IL, towed the pontoon ' and launch to the inner harbour. 1 FISHERMEN INCENSED e ; PROTESTS TO MINISTER [ IVr Press Association. I CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 14. i, Expressing the opinion that the >, sinking of the trawler Dolphin was o due to wilful negligence on the pail i of those in charge of the defence battery, fishermen to-day passed a resog lution of protest which will be forn warded to the Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Jones). The meeting was - held in committee, but a statement g was issued subsequently by Mr. F. P. n Walsh, general secretary of the Seat, men's Federation, who paid a special i- visit from Wellington. Represented s at the meeting were Lyttelton, Kaid koura, Akaroa, and Timaru fishermen, s The meeting passed a resolution 1. pointing out to the authorities that >f the inspection vessel, instead of being i- stationed off Little Port Cooper, in y accordance with the instruction issued il to fishermen by the Defence Deparl-i-lment, was actually stationed two or three miles on the port end of the harbour near where the Dolphin was sunk. Mr. Waish was directed by ‘he meeting to ask the Minister of DeI fence to make the fullest inquiry info ,f the tragedy. II Mr. Walsh said those present were c confident that the Government would ’’ do all it possibly could to assist fisherL men in having the whole of the evic dence considered and published. 1 Fishermen in all parts of Canterbury e had sent telegrams of protest to the ■ Minister against what they considered ‘"'was wilful negligence and demanding d a full inquiry into the tragedy, con- ’ tinned Mr. Walsh. Kaikoura fisherl' men discussed the sinking of the Dolphin yesterday, and the following tclegram was received by the Lyttelton e meeting this morning: “We protest in the strongest terms against, the shooting tragedy at Lyttelton, and propose that, all voluntary help to the naval and other authorities be withdrawn n until all danger of further shooting is removed to the satisfaction ot ’ fishermen."