HARBOUR COLLISION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1146, 6 June 1911, Page 5

HARBOUR COLLISION.

• "FERRY" AND LINER. THE NIWARU AND THE ADMIRAL. A magisterial inquiry into the collision - between the ferry steamer Admiral nml the Tyser liner Niwaru off l'oint Halswell on Hay 2G was lield last evening before »r. Jl'Arthur, K.M., and Cnptain Post and Captain Black, nautical assessors. llr. AV. Ko-e, Acting-Collector of Cuslom.s, conducted the inquiry on behalf of tho Marine Department, i\ud Mr. Dean appeared for Captain Compton, master of t)|e Niwaru. Mr. Dalzioll watched proceedings on behalf of tho Harbour terries Company. Evidence—The Admiral. Captain J. T. A. AVilliuins, master of the Admiral, and holder of a New Zealand river certificate, stated that ho left tho Ferry AY hart' at 7.10 a.m. Ho noticed the Niwaru leaving King's Wharf at about tho samo time, 110 got to Point Halswell at about 7.30, :i length or so ahead of the Niwaru, and about 100 or 000 yards inside Hie big boat. Ho kept on his coiii'se until nearly past tho buoy. Then tho Niwaru camo much closer to the buoy, and she passed just inside of the Ulimaroa in order to allow the latter to get by. He saw that she was cutting in much closer to the buoy than usual, and lie slowed down, because he thought that there wns a risk of tho Niwaru coming dangerously close. He presently stopped, and put tho helm to starboard, his object being to pass under the stern of the Niwaru. Tho Admiral did not answer her helm very quickly, because she was down at the head, nine tons of coal being in the hold. He thought tho Niwaru aho put her helm to starboard, and witness then went "slow astern," and ultimately, when he saw tho two beats coming si ill closer, "full speed astern." ToMr. Dean: He first got alongside of the Niwaru off Point Jermngham. Ho did not port his helm because ho did not want to get closer in. Witness, continuing, admitted that he had hod his certiiicafo taken from him fifteen months ago. Hβ could not say whether he had a ferry license- on this trip. The Ferry Company looked after that. Captain Compton, of tho Niwaru, could have avoided tho,collision, if his boat had kept on the swing which slip was on. John Ferguson, engineer on tho Admiral, deposed that the ferry boat's engines wero iu good orjer. The Admiral was a bad stcerer when she was low in the water. John H. llollsten, A.8., of the Admiral, went on deck a few minutes before tho collision. AVhen it camo the Admiral was making for the stern of the Kiwnru. The blow was stem on, but not' heavy. • Arthur Calvcrt, inspector of machinery and surveyor of ships in the port, who surveyed tho Admiral after the collision, described tho dnmago sustained by her. From .£ls to .£2O would bo tho cost of thorough repairs. The blow must have been a "pretty fair one." The Other Side—Niwaru. Captain J. E. L. Compton, master of the Niwaru, stated that the Admiral was steering a parallel courso to him. Tho Niwaru was not exceeding four knots. Tho collision occurred before Point Halswcll was reached. The Admiral starboarded her helm (going to port), very suddenly, but the Niwnru did not alter course. The Admiral at that timo was about -400 yards off his starboard bow. She did not appear to reduce her speed, and he was surprised, now, to hoar that her engines had been stopped and put astern. Tho Niwaru's engines were momentarily stopped because of tho possibility of the Admiral getting foul of her propellers, but this would not affect the Niwaru's course. Tho only damage to tho Niwaru was the denting of two plates. To Mr. Dean: He had thought at first that tho Admiral was going across his bows. He considered that (ho Niwaru was the "overtaken" vessel, which meant that she need not alter her course.i It was considered tho usual thing for ferry boats to give way, though, in this case, ho treated tho Admiral as a deep-sea boat. He could have dono nothing to avoid the collision. To Captain Williams: Witness had ported his helm to pass inside tho Uliniaroa, but he did not. slarboard his helm before (he collision. Ho had not "opened out" for two steamers coming up tho harbour before the collision. Sidney C. Cottell, chief officer of the Niwaru, corroborated tho last witness's evidence. Captain Williams cross-examined witness to endeavour to prove his (Captain Williams's) statement that the collision had occurred off Point Halswell and not before 'reaching there, as contended by the captain of tho Niwaru. Tho latter held to his statement. John M'Dnff, quarter-master of tho Niwaru, also gave evidence. J. H. Hellsten (of tho Admiral), recalled by tho assessors, said that the Point Halswell buoy had been 1 passed when the collision took place. John Cheney, chief engineer of the Niwaru, gave evidence. The Findings. After a brief retirement, Dr. M'Arthur said that the following answers to the lw.o issues had been arrived at, viz.:— Was tlio collision due. to a wrongful act or default on tho part of tho master of the Admiral ?—"Tho collision was caused by the default of Captain WiUiams in starboarding his helm, which caused the Admiral to draw into the Niwaru. owin? to his having misjudged his distance from tho Niwr.ru." Was the collision duo to a wrongful act or default on the part of the master of tho Niwaru?—"No." Dr. M'Arthur added that there was an absolute contradiction between tho parties as to tho exact location of tho collision. Whether it was or was not to tho east or west of Point Halswell, ho was of opinion, did not matter, inasmuch as tho action of Captain Williams would liavo ended in the same result either in approaching Point Halswell or after leaving it. Tlio nautical assessors concurred with the magistrate on all these points. No order was made as to costs, and tho certificates were returned to tho respective masters.