VESSEL'S CAPSIZE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 227, 24 September 1940, Page 11

VESSEL'S CAPSIZE.

RIVER TRAGEDY. FINDING AT INQUEST. WANGANUI, Monday. A list in the river 'steamer Ohura, caused by movements of cattle on the deck, and efforts to right the vessel were described in evidence at the inquest at Kaetihi concerning the death of Amokawa Te Hori, Robert Gray and George Ropata, who were drowned in the Wanganui River on May 6, when the Ohura capsized while negotiating a rapid. The inquiry was conducted by the coroner, Mr. W. H. Sandford. ''No trouble was experienced on the way down to Pipiriki, nntil about five miles from Pipiriki, where there are three sets ot rapids," said Captain Andrew Anderson, master of the vessel. "After I got clear of the first rapid I noticed the Ohura had a list to starboard and I instructed the Maoris Ropata and Te Hori to straighten the cattle out and equalise the load and right the ehip. When this was being done one of the beasts started to charge. This beast had previously given trouble and had to be roped before leaving Rainanui, but the rope had come off.

"The actions of this beast disturbed the rest of the cattle in this particular section, which gave the ship a greater list to starboard. I put on full speed and tried to run her on to a shingle bed on- the right-hand bank, or the starboard side, as the ship wan facing upstream. "All the sheep started to move to the side the ship had listed, and the side rails end partitions separating the cattle gave way, with the result that the ship capsized." The coroner's verdict was that' the three men lost their lives when the Ohura capsized.