BEER SEEMS TO HAVE PRIORITY

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 February 1947, Page 5

BEER SEEMS TO HAVE PRIORITY

Auckland, Fef. 25. Indignation at the practice" of crowding urgently-needed building materials off cargo ships in favour of consignments of beer, was expressed by Mr. J. W. Graham, the Canterbury delegate at the annual conference of the New Zealand Federated Builders and Contractors Industrial Association of Employers. “Time after time the South Island has been cut off from supplies of wall boarding and timber because shinping space has been occupied by North Inland beer brought down at the direction of waterside workers,” he said. “Meanwhile, builders all over the South Island are waiting desperately for materials from the north and many jobs are being held up.”

bn the harbour hoard, but there would be definite suggestions that the lights might have been somewhat misleading. That was an attack which was mild and somewhat different from that which Mr. Stevenson had just made. It had been generally con* ceeded by all witnesses that it was extremely difficult, if not impossible, to judge distances at. night at sea. Captain Darroch had said that there was a peculiar haze, or mist, floating across the lights. The lights of Wellington were not clear, and the red light of Somes Island was not seen. It seemed that the Cook Strait chart was somewhat out, and this was the reason why the ship turned a little early to the north.

Then there was the question of the compass. There seemed to be no doubt that there was a deviation. The captain turned on his normal course on to two lights which he deemed to be the two leading lights. Every indication that a mariner demanded was there tor safe entry into the harbour. The reef light was in place. That was misleading, and it was not easy to pick out the exact periods of the lights. 'l'here were three similar lights almost in a straight line and, if by chance, the rear light was not discernible through the atmospheric conditions, then a tragedy such as happened was unavoidable. No officer had come before any nautical court with any greater career

as a navigator than Captain Darroch. lie was to leave th? court with an untarnished reputation unless it was found that suddenly he had done something inconsistent with his career.

Mr. Treadwell had completed his address when the court adjourned until to-morrow. Dr. Foden will address the court tomorrow morning.