THE KAIPARA INQUIRY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 730, 1 February 1910, Page 5

THE KAIPARA INQUIRY.

SERIOUS ISSUE RAISED.

THE MAGISTRATE ON CHARTS.

(By Megraph.-Prcss;; Association;) i '■;-;v.' ■■; :: I.;. ■"■ :;-,:.:, .-Auckland, January; 31,'tov - : -\' : ■ The Kaipara inquiry was resumed,-tUig. ' : morning. John of. the UnionK V : ; Company, .who. examined the Kaipara,' .?. stated that nor .plates were ripped and':' 'I bulged.'. ■'.. .•../■:\,u : ,: / ■-.; Corbott, chief engineer, l deposed that the vessel's heavy-list was'.noticed' :,:: wmlosho was coaling at the wharf." Ef- "i '■£ forts were made to straighten the vessel : ; : : ' :: by Putting as. much ; coal- as'possible: on v 'A' .. to ■ tno' port .side.- Tho. list, however, still - -' increased. . Witness-.Tvas- worriedabout '^ : < I it, and questioned: the;,4econd .engineer'- : V rto assured 'him >at *he } ■! lull. In the:bunkers they had 40 tons-'d-d----coal more 'on the pdrt.iiide than i starboard,and: on,fleck about' 80 to£m d ° re ■ °" th^porttUani lO n -th* starboaS'';? lan?"q^' r, -V earins^^«V N^sZedi : ?\-1 bje< S od;to witnesses'.beins^.:--:i: list, on - the ground ■ that; the- Court had " - : already, announced that was .a-s^egara^ng^^JKaipa^:^;:, n^^^f^

"> WhaVStepV -if Egbert Coyle, Becond officer/ ; H dence, in the;course, of which jfi^K e S i: *K again' asked;what were beingS \m> ;to, locate ..this, aUeged -hidden' '. t0^< Position^andexS &&Wty 1? B ii' ;lv ? nderstand ' that ; 'the : -v "■ ; Board Mid, the ; master -of 1: the . : K^ara,.have,already:'done^hat.^!wl nave taken no action. '' '-. '■■ ~...'-': v.-t : Vr Jlr. : Kettle:-But what' steps ; 'are v th« lf :^ Kettle: - will not cldsV^ 5 unhl it is supplied with.full and acourate':' thfffu '°S 'm a %ed,hidden shoal or rockv. "•■'• '-i kl J he ' : Mnrine; D«Partmeny '■■■■ A A : ■ J?'-,I.Kettl1 .Kettle■; Most■ assnrealy^it ; .should; X'&f. T. ;divers^v«;Kl§;;^^i On"who'se'.behaif?:; ?■■£&# .•.■..Mγ.;-: MVeaghr: the shippinr :C; fWlW.^thfl'.bt^ -Jlr.; Kettlei;;,We -want thoroughly,'examined. by>an-'independent" >■' -■ Party, and the Marine make-.that; r examination.v :.\v e reouW "v-' ; : :complete;plans;to-b e VlaJd:before'us^" ; - ; - Herman, Dawson,;: fourth , officer;' feaid tfSs ,tnat, from..the soundings /taken; .^: ;.sprin 9 ;tWesV:2«t. ; ias-the'lowesi':• aeptn.on-this shoal.■;-..- ■~ ■ , i*— - ■■..,'-:.';• f^Vi ihat;;he: : 'understood'" v"S .that there would-be-no dispute as'to-the '-■■■■■• c T depth ..of.: tho^water ' on -. tho.' shoal. :only,■ difference-.was 'as■ ■to : a' matter' of seven or nine' inches;-. --/f : ;■■■■:,!- ■ s.$S-yy»r} ;:Kettlo ? ;And,where:you'found' .shoal;, giving.a depth of: ; ajft.. theXoh™^ : 'fi'-J gives, a depth of. 31ft.?-"les."-.' ° '^" V . : Andit'was: on- that' shoal'V': : \ that the:vessel struck?-"Yes" - n ; ,ln th(! af^rnoon:. the chief;' engineer, wai \ - : ' s v'■ ?? y, *fs' wd:stated ; he. satisfied^ '^ that,- at ,the,;..ttme,,the shiprstruck,. she.,: was. not; going 'more than"weight 'knots/ ■ '' : > ; iif

;.'V" -i; -J 1 -r:i'^' ;■:''; \^Tw'^'Shani, 'sccretary-;6f-the land.HarboMßoQrd.-said.that he knew ° j^3 9 ; ln i s toces litt: which:-ships .were, alleged touched the bottom of fairway One 'in" ,stance:occuiTed about-20- years/ago; when a : b ranch warship,, the Duquesne, was'al.W;.to:have. touched,.-The Wtter was fully _gone;. into ;by : the: .ter, l ,Capta.m:.Burgess. : ;Witness*produced■ a",.the.vpapers ..,in. connectibn v with ; th« S.-l5" : ; ; . Hff al so'r«ir.cmbered thecase of. r |ho:.Waimate, which: was -stated' to hav<'. touohed on July 27,19 M, during time taptaan Duder-; was'..harb6urinaster. ; ' Ho Produced relating to the matter..-The.report- of thd'harboiirniaster on the ;subjecf.stated that the sa' Waimate," drawing . approximately: 25ft. : Bin.,-., .touched, -bottom westward v ■of ' the deep ;wnter ohamiel: : " The 'Admiralty survey ga-re ample directions for the suiding of. vessels of dscp drrrnqht to pass: through the ■ channeli:',and 'the. 'harbourmaster, .therefore,- didVnot think .that dredging br'buoyiri(!.;,w.as necessary .-'-."lt wns, however,.' decided to place.;buoys;'at-certaih.'pointe: to, ."mark. the ■ channel; 1 -" -No,, survey:. was made by- the ..board.': In November, 1903,'. the following-telegram- v;as'.sent;:by> the' ; Auckland .Harbour Board, to , membere ofboth. Houses' of Parliament.i-nrcgaid'ta" the "proposal for", a":survey., of VHauraki Gulf:—, ::::V":y;' ; ".;;': -. A:' : - ; r^:::

.:"llMiy;-::,,miohaited:- i dangere.- are ■ knowi to exist.:-;in '. -.the; : gulf iy,-■ The: board,.-.therofpre.i.considere :iti;of- : the '". utmost.; importance : : .that:: a'-'stirvey'! should' at:, once, bo .proceeded', with,:, and., continued -to i North Capei--.' Tbe ,- board ;is, of opinion "that this 'survey'.' is of: n< more urgent:.na.turo than anyi other,wort" that'H.M;S: Penguin coulaj', be engaged ■ upon. :.Taking : into ■'. con« '■' sideration the l large amount '.of traffio';' .inVqlved,-fand;tho ; 'fact , .that such Sur-.v v?y would. : '' : cohnebt^with", the',Eastt Coast'survey, about .completed, >: ■thus-making. d-Xontinuous line of com-' , : nleted.survey'- : front-.North CafioV ta ■ East. Cape, joii,are'.: respectfully ~re-:V quested to urge'upoli the- Government I' the. importance, to.shippinp; and to the? board that. H.M.S.:,Penguin, now in'-'i Auckland,:.should vbe /immediately.'.. ordered:;.to'proceed: with thov.sur-'; : vey''i'i- l vi''..'.l'\:' : - : :,i'-.■:!■'v'-'-:^

_'.'-. .ThV survey'; was,'Kovrcver; deferred. V. ; -Y' ' Jtr. Kettle: Have ..you'" communicated' with.other. harbour .boards; to.' ascertain iJ they had. made', {surveys of their/own■ har-; bpurs-on' their 'own'.account sirj' but lundorstand that, tho.Hydrographer'e' Department will'.not;allow any surveys to be ! put-on'. their;,cha:rt unless they! are madeby. their 'o\vn-officers. .In the case' of a lai'ge;survey ; of : this kind it-would be impossible:for .a.local body .'tbvdp' : 'it' efficiently, as it.', v/ould: take a, long: time, and a'large staff., of,'men.:'-v ,:.;■■■■■■.-. : 'V--'ft , • .The second engii]_eor, quartermaster, arid of the;Kaipara, gave-eridence,: and .the .inquiry, was then;' adjourned till; to-morrow. 1 ■' :■'■: ■•.'•'..;' ;, ■'.;■:'..;',. ' ,":-;,;->";i\ >.'■: