PENGUIN DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 442, 26 February 1909, Page 9

PENGUIN DISASTER.

' THE INQUEST An inquiry into the circumstances- connected with the death of those who perished at the''wreck, of .the steamer /Penguin,bti; February 12; .was held yesterday -'afternooti at.the Magistrate's Court by Dr. M'Arthur, coroner, and a jury, - of, whom Mr. J. \D. Sievwright was foreman./ ■ ■. Mr. L'eyi. represented the Union; Company. Captain Nay lor, .-'late, master of .-.the steamer Penguin,'deposed that on February 12..the vessel left Picton for Wellington, at 6.20 p.m.; from Tory Head steered S.E. by E.—a course' that ought to have taken thb ship 6i miles "off:any ■' danger..'-.-At , !9.20 altered the. course to E.y by S. - At 9.4ssrang "stand bj," so as to =■ have . the engineer handy, as there was' a heavy raia squall. The ship struck at: two" minutes past 10 p,m., just: as the vessel .was coming round to sfand out to sea.- Sent the third, officer to see if.the ship was making water. Ordered the chief .steward to .call. all. passengers, and provide them-..with.life-belts. All hands were* called on deck. The boats-were got ready for launching. The chief officer and second officer attended to the swingingr out of the boats. The .'women arid children were..first , : put in .the.boats: * The first boatj with/passengers, .left at 10.20 p.m. Told the'- chjef .officer to leave with his No. 2—and ,he said he would not leave till he saw everyone, leave the ship. ■ : Told him to instruct/the, boatswain to take his boat, and-the chief officer could.. take the last boat—the boatswain's boatl/ ' Witness then ! detailed the launching operations so far as he could see, them. His evidence,was/prac-, tically the .same as that-he' gave/"at'.the-' nautical inquiry on the previous day, and his statements on the day" after-the wreck.' ■Witness-', drifted .ashore on /.an •upturned boat. He" had been drifting for about three hours before he was washed ashore. / ; / In reply to a- question-by' a juror,'.'.witness, said, the log was of no use.in the trip across the' Strait.. /v ;r ■;:■.'■' :'-\ ..'.-; -.•.■ ■-.! -.-- Tho Coroner !.(to' witness) :■. You are' satisfied that after the vessel struck' everything possible was '< done to save, life? , .//■ .; Witness: Yes. , : -\ ■■'■'J-:-'''[ ''.'.:./■•.■■■. ; ;';;/ ■■■'/•■•: .Arid ■ that perfect discipline 'was... main-, tained?. i ;,.\ '.'•. ':■■■- .'• -//.:/-7 . ■>;•'.-' ■ Witness: Yps, sp^far'as I could see from, the bridge..' '. ; .;':. .V . '■:■■ //;■ And there, was no. panic either on the. part of passengers. or crew) , - ■■. '/ .'■•.-; : ; .'■.;. /.Witness: There '.was no panic.'. ■'.-' ■ '. '•/ '-.' To a' juror: If an attempt hadibeen ,madb to beach the : ship, she/would probably; have been' smashed on ,the reefs and rocks/'/He thought that.vthe i safest course .was /to .'go out/to, sea .after'.the" vessel, struck. .„• That was -done: in order, to give the. boats an' offing,'so that "they -could ,be carried by/the tide ,! and wind round. Torawhiti, and land, in. smooth water./. ;///■ -' '.: ■ •:"'■ ; ,W.- W; Luke;, late second - enjrineer of .the. Penguin; was also examined. His was similar to I ,that giy10n,..at"lon,..at" the 'nautical inquiry.'. 'Witness siid-Vhe' 1 was ; in;■'charge of one' of .the boats.- .The.;boa'i',was .prppe'rTy; manned. • She, was, , however, i.overwhelm&ti by mountainous, seas,' and! all 'on,board,were, drowned .except, witness,': who'clung'to. the upturned ■ boat/' and : was .cast ashore," after having been about'five hours, drifting about in. the tough; sea.';';; '.. .' ' : ';. ; ,■'."■-■■•;•■ ;' , : , The inquest ■ was then adjourned'till' this morning at 10.30 o'clock.>!■'• : ; ; "' ;::. ;v:;K.., -.'