WRECK OF PROGRESS.

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18342, 30 May 1931, Page 7

WRECK OF PROGRESS.

NAUTICAL COURT FINDING. MASTER OF TUGS CENSURED. DID NOT CARRY OUT DUTY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The opinion that the stranding and loss of the coastal steamer Progress could have been avoided if either the master of the tug Toia or the master of the tug Terawhiti had carried out the duty asked and reasonably expected of him, was expressed by the Nautical Court which investigated the circumstances of the wreck. In its decision delivered this afternoon the Court said it thought a prudent course for the master of the Progress to have followed was to ask the Opawa to tow him into port. Subject to that comment he displayed resource and seamanship in his efforts to save his vessel. The harbourmaster had acted promptly when Idling on himself to order a tug to proceed to the Progress, and the Toia got away with reasonable expedition. In deferring to give an order to send the Tola away the owners’ representative caused a delay of a little over half-an-hour. The Court held that the Tola set out much undermanned as to her deck hands, and said that for a hazardous operation of- that sort at nignt time and in heavy weather three deckhands were’utterly inadequate. ’.There seemed to have been on the Tola a lack of foresight and lack of attention to detail, militating against success. The task confronting Captain Campbell, master of the Toia, was not an easy one, but the Court said it entertained no doubt that he could have made a further attempt to take the Progress in during the hours of darkness. An examination of the position by daylight would have disclosed to Captain Campbell that there was ample water for him to manoeuvre on whichever side of the Progress he chose to go. His action in abandoning her after daylight was indefensible. With- regard to the action of the master of the tug Terawhiti in refusing to go out his plain duty was to have put to sea and gone to the help of the Progress.

Coroner’s Verdict. No order was made as to costs. The Coroner, Air Page, delivered a verdict in regard to the victims of the disaster that they were drowned in the wreck of the Progress. He bore testimony to the gallantry of those who from the shore endeavoured to save the lives of the crew, and particularly mentioned Messrs R. Alfano, A. Pottinger, lan McHardy, Constable Hammond, Constable Baker, the fishermen,_ and members of the Life-Saving Club, But for their efforts it was doubtful if any members of the crew would have reached the shore alive.