THE LOST DUCO.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 12984, 27 January 1910, Page 4

THE LOST DUCO.

Tile request of the owners of the trawler hum, for a re-hearing oi the nautical inquiry into the loss oi the vessel and her crew, has been ret used, on the ground that there is insufficient reason for the name. The matter not. being sub judice any longer, the question naturally arises: What is the Marine Department going to do about it? The officials who were tupposed to know the condition in which the vessel put to sea, apparently didn’t know it. The system of inspection appears to be such that u is posable to crowd extra cargo on to an already fully-loaded steamer,, alter she lias passed her survey. In which case, it seems as if new rules for inspection ought to be laid down, and officials required to actually see the vessel leave, instead of merely saying she is tit to leave. The latter renders it possible tor grasping owners to dodge the official eye, and puts the surveyors in a false position. Dili apart from all these considerations, someone was responsible tor wilding the Duco to the bottom of the eea, and her crew to their deaths. The Marine Department knows who that someone is, and it seems the proper thing for the Denartment to secure a. lew months - gaol for the guilty party. The loss of the Duco was a dear case of murder—notHrw less.