Wanganui Herald. [published daily.] FBIDAT, JUNE 80, 1898. THE FREETRADER CASE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8211, 30 June 1893, Page 2

Wanganui Herald. [published daily.] FBIDAT, JUNE 80, 1898. THE FREETRADER CASE.

Thk Shipmasters' Association of Wellington is evidently a very tender-hearted institution, and presented a petition the other day to the Colonial Secretary that the penalty imposed upon Captain Bowden of the Freetrader should be remitted for the following reasons : — (1) The unfairness of tiie preliminary inquiry ; (2) that strong local prejudice unconsciously biassed the magisterial court ; (3) that thore was only one assessor, and he having not had any experience in the navigation of bar harbours ; (4) that the i system of signalising at Wanganui is liable to lead a stranger into error ; (5) that the vessel was rather large for the port, and should have been towed, as the water on the bar was scant for a sailing vessel ; (6) that the evidence indicates that the element of accident, combined with a want of practical local knowledge and error of judgment, contributed greatly to bring about tbe unfortunate occurrence ; (7) that the sentence is out of all proportion to the error of judgment committed, if any ; (8) finally, we beg you to consider that there was no evidence of drunkenness or neglect, merely errors of judgment committed, and the way this case compares with the case of. the Elginshire and Duk.<e of Buckingham.

The above contains more reckless and unfounded statements than could well be imagined as emanating from such a body. There was no unfairness in either the preliminary 1 or magisterial enquiry, local prejudice could not affect either. In the enquiry before the Resident Magistrate and Captain Adams, it was proved beyond doubt that Captain Bowden from the first disobeyed the signals from the pilot, who signalled him in the first instance to make more sail before taking the bar, an order that was not carried out, and the disregard of which largely helped to bring about the stranding. Although Captain Bowden had been in the port before, and had a copy of the New Zealand Pilot on board, in which masters of vessels crossing the Wanganui bar are explicitly instructed to keep the two beacons in line, he failed to do so, and told the Court that he expected the pilot to bring him in safely by signals. Had he obeyed those signals, his ship would have kept the channel and the beacons in line. As it was, his failure to obey the pilot's signals to keep to windward, and in the line of beacons, led the latter to signal to the Freetrader when two miles off the land to put to sea» a signal that was also disregarded by Captain Bowden, who held on his course until brought up by the beach some distance to leeward of the bar channel. The penalty for all this continued disregard of the sailing directions for the port and the pilot's signals was a very light one, and we do not think the Government would be warranted in reducing it, and most certainly not for the reasons urged by the Shipmasters' Association of Wellington, who exhibit an antipathy to the port that is too strongto be concealed.