'CAUGHT IN ATRAP'

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1453, 30 May 1912, Page 5

'CAUGHT IN ATRAP'

HAUPIRI INQUIRY. ABLE HANDLING OF STEAMER. THE RAIN SHEET. Inquiry was held yesterday into the circumstances surrounding the mishap to the steamer Haupiri on the night of Friday, May 2. Mr. W. G. Biddell, S.M. (president), and Captains G. G. Smith, Superintendent of Mercantile Marine, and R. J. Gillespie (assessors), constituted the Court. Mr. C. S. Nixon, Collector of Customs, appeared for tho Marine Department, and Mr. A. L. Herdman for Captain Morrison, master of the Haupiri. Mr. Nixon stated that the mishap had occurred while the vessel was on the way from Wellington to Picton. The Haupiri had struck what was supposed to be a rock on Barrett's Reef. He then called Captain Morrison. Captain Morrison's Evidence. In his evidence, Captain Morrison stated that the Haupiri left the Wellington, wharves at 10.38 p.m. on Friday, May 17. After they passed the Falcon Shoal buoy they lost sight of all lights, and some tirao afterwards he felt tho ship strike. He had run the ship back, and had beached i-.er at Evans Bay at 1.20 a.m. on Saturday. On Saturday afternoon the vessel had been put on the slip. Working the Wounded Ship Back. In reply to Mr. Herdman, Captain Morrison said that he was quite familiar with the harbour and knew exactly how a vessel ought to be brought in and taken out. He had navigated the harbour as master six or seven times, and as an officer he had had about ten years' experience of the harbour. Tho steamer Maori had gone out that night, and the Blenheim also had got right outside the Heads before turning back. His difficulties had arisen after ho had passed the Falcon Shoal buoy. Somes Island light had then been showing white to him, and that indicated that the ship was on a .-afe course. He had then steered a course to. take him clear of everything, and through the entrance. A downpour of rain—it had cdmo down like a blanket—had then fallen, and obscured everything. This downpour had lasted till after the striking of the vessel, but, after they turned back, the rain had oleared, and Pencarrow light had become visible again. He had no idea where the vessel had struck, but it had been on the ten! side of tho channel. When the sudden darkness and downpour had come over the harbour, ho would have been running a risk of colliding with any other ship that might have been coming in had ho stopped the ship; and he might have got on the reef had he tried to turn. There was nothing which Ihfl could have done with sufety other than •what he had done, to have averted the nccidont. The whole trouble was that the rain had come down and obscured everything for the time being. Mr. Herdman: Can you account for the •vessel getting on to the reef from tho safe channol? Captain Morrison: No. It might have tieen the wind, or there might have been a., set towards the reef. Mr. Riddoll, S.M.: At what speed were you travelling? Captain Morrison: About 7} knots. Mr. Herdman: Your vessel is a slow 6hip, is she not? Captain Morrison: Very slow. Mr. Herdman: What speed does she travel? . Captain Morrison: It all depends on the kind of coal—sometimes she does 4 knots end sometimes 7J knots. ' Other Members of Ship's Company. Chief Officer Robert Jackson Fowler, of the Haupiri, "deposed that, when the vessel struck, ho had felt a littlo bump. He went up. on to the bridge, and attended to the execution of certain orders—getting the boats clear, soundings pumping, etc. The steamer had only remained on the rock for a few seconds. It was the heavy rainfall which had blotted out tho light. The Tain had come down as in a sheet, and the wind had been blowing it into their faces. They had been travelling at about 7 to 7i knots, perhaps a littlo moro. Keith Ditchan, third officer of the Haupiri, and Oscar Harold Dillner, chief engineer of tho vessel, gave evidence. John Olsen, A.8., who was at tho wheel, said that when the Haupiri was got to Evans Bay she was settling, and had been yery much down at the head. Charles Criendwcll, the look-out on the tight of tho mishap, said that just after the vessel had struck he had seen a rock just near the bow. Captain's Position—"Ona of Very Great Difficulty," Mr. Herdman said that the position of Cantain Morrison was one of very great 'difficulty. Every master of a ship which met with an accident was in an exceedingly difficult position; he damaged someone's property, and his livelihood was at stake. Mr. Herdman invited the Court to come to f he conclusion that Captain Morrison had done everything a man could possibly bo expected to do in the circumstances. Briefly put, Captain Morrison had been caught in n trap. Tho circumstances had led him to believe that he could navigate his steamer out of the harbour with perfect safety. All the evidence had gone to show that the terrific downpour had fcsen the cause of tho mishap. What might have happened had tho vessel not gono on? It would be ridiculous to suggest that she should have anchored there: there would have been the dangers of (totting on to Steeple's Rock and of Colliding with other vessels. Tho misfortune was one of those accidents which would happen to ships all over the world. Sometimes a set of circumstances, arose which no man could deal with—an accident was inevitable. Counsel asked the Court to find that Captain Morrison was absolutely guiltless. The evidence had shown that the master of the steamer should be completely exonerated on any charge of faulty navigation. Finding of the Court. The Court made a brief retirement, and then delivered its decision. The Court was of opinion that Captain Morrison had committed an error of judgment in not anchoring his vessel after passing the Falcon Shoal buoy, when he had found that all tho lights were obscured by a heavy rain squall, and that it was impossible to fix his exact position. Tho Court commended Captain Morrison for the able way in which he candled his ship after tho accident. Captain Morrison was ordered to pay the costs of the inquiry. The costs amounted to M 10s.—each assessor <C 2 25., and n witness Gs.