SHIP’S COLLISION WITH FAIRMILE LAUNCH ENGINEER ACCEPTS BLAME

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 May 1947, Page 6

SHIP’S COLLISION WITH FAIRMILE LAUNCH ENGINEER ACCEPTS BLAME

(P.A.) Wellington, May 5. ’Before the magisterial inquiry into an accident involving a collision between the Tamahine and a Fairmile launch at the Wellington wharves on February 28 was opened to-day, the Court was told that the third engineer, Jack Girardin, had accepted full responsibility for the accident. Dr. O. C. Mazengarb, K.C., who appeared for Girardin, said Girardin had admitted he had inadvertently worked the port engine’s control lever the wrong way and had noticed'his mistake too late. Questioned later in the hearing by the presiding magistrate, Mr. A: M. ulding, Girardin said he had beer continuously on outy before the accident for about 30 hours. The Court attributed the accident to Girardin's mistake, stating that there was no default on the part of the master or the chief engineer. “In coming to its decision," said .the Court's statement, “the Court thinks it should, in fairness to the third officer, make known its view that he had been continuously on duty for a long period without sleep and that factor alone may have contributed largely to his mistake. He has courageously and properly taken sole responsibility for the casualty and in that respect his conduct is praiseworthy. He has been disrated from his position as third engineer to that of fourth engineer and has been sufficiently punished. The Court does not propose to interfere in any way with his certificate, nor does it propose to mulct him with any of the costs of this inquiry.”