HARBOUR TRAGEDY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 29 December 1927, Page 5

HARBOUR TRAGEDY.

, INQUEST ON VICTIMS. INTERESTING EVIDENCE. Pi es 5 Association-Electric i'ele«raph-CoDYn“kt. SY DX EV, Wednesday, The inquest, on the victims of the Grcvcliffe-Tahiti disaster on November •'ini was resumed, but was adjourned till to-morrow. The Coroner stated that it was impossible to continue both the inquest and the judicial enquiry at once, and indicated that if material witnesses from the Tahiti had not completed their evidence tomorrow, lie would not allow them to leave Sydney. The Coroner added that unless the I'nioii Steamship Company gave an assurance t hat the Tahiti witnesses would be detained in Sydney, lie would issue summonses and they would be detained legally. The judicial enquiry resumed before Air Justice Campbell and two assessors. Captain Aldwell, of the Tahiti, gave evidence 1 hat the impact was not felt on the Tahiti, but the Greycliffe appeared to fall to pieces like a barrel. lief'erring to speed, he said that up to -Miller's .Point the Tahiti was doi-ng four knots. .Full speed was rung when pausing Garden Island. After passing Carden Island, the Tahiti's course was altered slightly to port, but .just before reaching Carden Island, the course of the Tahiti had been altered in order to avoid a Xavy launch. The Greydift’c was on a parallel course with the Tali iti after passing Garden Island. He thought, fhe speeds of the Tahiti and Greycliffe were about the same just prior to the collision. Captain Aldwell estimated that the Tahiti was doing about 71 knots. About two cables past Garden Island, the pilot put the Tahiti a little to starboard. Counsel then asked Captain Aldwell what the Greycliffe did then. Witness commenced: “I then saw the Greycliffe ” For A moment he appeared on the point of collapse, but after resting said he felt upset whenever he thought about the collision. Captain Aldwell then resumed. He said that he was looking at the Greycliffe, and saw her swing to port quite hard. The pilot said: '‘Good God!” and immediately gave an order. The Greycliffe had swung over not less than four points. The pilot gave the orders, ■•Hard apart,’-’ “Stop,” “Starboard,” “Full astern.” These were all given practically simultaneously. Witness saw that they were carried out. Witness added that he said to the helmsman. '‘Hut her hard over.” The vessel started to swing slowly at first, Captain Aldwell said. “She is always like that,” he added, “slow to start, but when she gets going she swings like a saucer. A few more moments and the trouble would have been avoided. If the Greycliffe could only have squared up there would have been no eollision. ’' Roderick MacLeod, the quartermaster. who was at the helm of the Tahiti when the collision occurred, deposed that when lie saw the Greycliffe he was steering for Shark Island. The Greycliffe was steering a parallel course, and about three minutes before the collision the Greycliffe altered her course to port about six or seven points. The Greycliffe was close under the Tahiti’s bows when he got the order “Hard astarboard.” The course of the ferry was so altered that she cut right across the course of the Tahiti. At the close of the day’s evidence, Mr .Justice Campbell offered no objection to an application by counsel that the Tahiti witnesses should be allowed to leave with the vessel to-morrow.