Salvage Writs "Nailed" To Wanganella's Mast

Chronicle (Levin), 21 April 1948, Page 2

Salvage Writs "Nailed" To Wanganella's Mast

Press Association)

(Per .

WELLINGTON, April t'U. A conMnony intendcd for other duys, was pt'irforiued yesterday with soino diffieulty wiien two writs of suiudiojis in actioiis for salvage, were afiixed to (iie niainiiiast of the Wangaiiella in Weilingtoii 's lloating dorie. In eam vvrit is set out a rlann for £.'3(),()(J() in reward for serviccs rendered to the VVanganella while in danger on Barrett 's Reef. Oue rlaiur is by the W'ellijigtou Harbour Board and niasturs and rrews of the Board 's tug Toi ti and launrli Aruliiiia, and Ihe otiier is by ihe VVatuiti'uui Harbour Board and inasler and rrew of the tug Ktthan.ui. The writs are issued out of the Wuprenie (■ourt of Kew Zealand at Wellington ui its Admiralty jurisdiction. I'lider the old Admiralty rules, tlio writs are against the ship itself and Ihe rules provide that service is to bc efferted by atiixing them to its mainniast. .Made foratime wlien sh i f»s hau trooden masts and legal doeuiuents were probably oue slieet of stout parrhmenl wltirh eould be lirmiy nailed iu position, Ihe riile is more difiicult to eomply witn now that most ships have metal masts, and tlie eerenionv is no longer tlie digni Jied timi impressive oue it must otu'e have been, Two or three inc'n who liap pened to be working nearby suul a re porter and a pliol ogra pher, wero ' the sole spertators as .Mr. ('. S. Turnbull, re preseiiting Ihe Wellington Harboui Board 's solieitor, Mr. J. F. B. Steventon, struggled yesterday to afiix the two writs to the sleeJ plale with gum med paper. Coniprising several sheeis of t'oolsrap, earli of t li c writs pulled away several times before, they were, 111dured to remain ia position togellier for a few seeonds — long enough to fuitil the law'though the spirit and letter seemed sadly larking. Tiiere wero no tormal vvords and the, writs were immedialely removed and taken to Ihe acting inasler of the Wanganella, Mr. A. \\ . Mr Dniiald, who had not lieen proseul at t he. eercmony and wlio roreived them without romment. In due course the aetion ivill be hcard by a .hidge of the Supremo Court accing in the (hnirt's Admiralty jtirisdieliou. After heariug evidence the ('ourt has to deride what salvage award it. will rnake, and upon making any award, it fixes in the first place 'a total -lump. sum for all plaintiifs and fchon usually proeeeds to divide that amount among the plain tif'fs in surJi proporlion as it eonsidcrs just. If any award is made and not paid by the underwriters or owners, the ship is security for the amount. In the present aetion Mr. Stevcnson will appear for the two Harbour Boards, Mr. L. P. Hay for the three tug inasters, and Mr. (A A. L. Treadwell for the threo c re\ys. A writ was similarlv served on the (Jolden Harvest as she lay 011 tlie fioating doek after striking Barrett's lteer in 19.'!o and also on the Pakura following her mishap on the East Coast ot the No.rth Island in- 1931. In both these cases plaintitfs were the Wellington Harbour Board and master and *rew of the tug Toia. It is believed thin law clerks in those days found string nore effefftive than stieky paper.