THE WRECK OF THE KORANUI.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2243, 3 October 1889, Page 2

THE WRECK OF THE KORANUI.

OFFIOIAL ENQUIRY. Lpbb PRBBB ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, Ootober 2. The enquiry Into t.e wreck of the Koraout was hold to-d»y. Mr Gaily, for tbe Customs, aaked th. s Oourt to oons dor generally the question of the navigation of the French Pass, and whether, on such a n'ght as that on which the X ranui was wrecked, it would ba advi<«ble to avoid goiog th oagh tbe Pass. Tho . vHaioa adduo.d was almost the same as th. panlou are publishod at the time of tbe accident, Oap'.ain Hill replying to questions said thore waa as much danger In going ronnd D'Orvlllo la'snd as through tho Paia, owing t-j the abeanoo of a light on Stevana' Island, aud tho ourrenla wero strong- Witness In anawer to Mr Gully admltttu thm * ••• *** ev '^ nfc tn * fc Xf tbe full oomplHmont J* ""-WW., hfti been on board they o uld no* likv - WW aocotunndated In the boats. ' Mr Gal y pointed ont that the boat aLO.mmodailm was regulated aooordlng t'y the tonnage Instead of depending upon tbe number of passengers that the vetgel ooo< mandated. On the baala of tonnage the Koranul had more than the number of cubic feot of upico required by the Morohint Shipping Aot, but It waa remarkable thot th« vosael wa< licensed to I convey more paaßongera than the boats tlx. was required to oarry oould ponlbly hold. The amount of boat opaoe tint ahe was required to oarry was 573 oublo feet and eho penorally had G25 feot ; atlli tho , boat accommodation vrae octiroly !_,_ ' adiquate. The Court found that Oaptaln Hill had errod m judgmont m tho ooureo steered after sighting tho light. After the veanol atruok everything seemed to been well and prof orly done for the saving of tho lives of tho paßseDgerß and crew. The v.saol appeared to be well found In every t>ny and to have had her proper compVmciit of boats, bnt If Bhe had had the full uumber of puaaengera that ahe wa*i I'c.naod to carry, a large number moat nocoßßarily havo lost their Uvea for want of boats to Uka thorn In. The Oourt thereforo ordered that Oaptaln HlU'b cert'fi-ute be suspended for two months ard that he pay tho ooata of the enquiry amounting to seven guineas. The Oourt thought tbat the Captain's oonduot after the vwtl |trDQk wii woithf of »U pcftlif ;