THE ANNE MELHUISH INQUIRY.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3903, 6 September 1873, Page 2

THE ANNE MELHUISH INQUIRY.

An inquiry into the grounding of the Anne Melhuish upon Inconstant Poinc, while working through the Heads on the 22nd ult., was held at the Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday morning before Captain Sharp, J.P., W. Dorsett, Esq., J.P., and R. J. Duncan, Esq., J.P. Mr Reid and Mr Hackworth appeared on behalf of the Government, and Mr Ollivier on behalf of Captain Davidaon. Neither his evidence, nor that of Captain Williams, the owner of the vessel, was of a very material character as far as influencing the decision of the Court went. Pilot Holmes, however, was examined at length and cross- questioned on the more particular points. It appeared that he was piloting in a vessel at the same time, and was therefore in a position to observe every movement on board the Anne Melhuish. He said that Captain Davidson worked hia vessel in a seamanlike manner, and gave just such orders as the majority of masters would have given under the circumstances, though his many years of local experience showed him that if the captain had made a stern board ho would have prevented the' vessel from grounding. But a mistake once made in such a place, it was impossible t& rectify The channel not being more than threequarters of a mile wide altogether would reduce the room for working a ship practically to half a mile. This, taken with the fact that colliers seldom carried a large complement of men, explained how impossible it would be to correct any mistake by the speedy execution of anew order that necessitated the shifting of sails. He said that he had himself bean often placed in predicaments which he only got out of by the experience of fifteen years in that portion of the harbor. He was confident that Captain Davidson gave his vessel plenty of room,, and had it been off any other point than Inconstant he would have been able to wear his ship. He gave her as much room as it was possible to give working in the narrows. The advantage of making a stern board would be the enabling the vessel to go astern. He knew that the anchor would not have held her, because in a few minutes after he was obliged to let go both anchors of the William Ackers to bring her up ; and though she had no sail set at the time, he had to pay out about 70 fathoms of chain altogether. The Anne Melhuish had sail on at the time. He deemed the immediate cause of the accident to be the loss of the jib and jib stay, the former Wowing about forward like a balloon, and a squall striking her while she was in stays. In reply to the Court witness said he considered Captain Davidson acted in a seamanlike manner, and that the accident was unavoidable. He also thought the vessel would have floated off with the rising tide without the assistance of a steamer. Witness supplemented his'evidence by the statement that he had frequently seen Captain Davidson work his vessel in and out of the harbor night and day, and having frequently been in his company while working his ship, he had always seen him display good seaman-, ship and judgment. Mr Reid said that after the evidence of Pilot Holmes, he did not propose to call any more witnesses. After consideration, the Bench gave the following decision :— The Bench is of opinion from the evidence adduced that the master, William Davidson, acted throughout in a seamanlike manner. We consider him free from blame, and look upon the accident as having been unavoidable. The Court therefore acquits Wm. Davidson, master of the Anne Melhuish, and returns him his certificate.