ELINGAMITE WRECK.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1555, 26 September 1912, Page 6

ELINGAMITE WRECK.

1 ... CASE OF CAPTAIN ATWOOD. PETITION FOB REDRESS. The claims of Captain Atwood, master 1 of the ill-fated Elingamite, when that 1 ship was wrecked at the Three Kings 1 ton years ago, upon tho Government, of New Zealand, wero discussed in tho House . of Representatives yesterday afternoon. Captain Atwood was deprived of his certificate on tho assumption that ho had been guilty of bad seamanship. It has i since been proved that tho Three Kings were wrongly charted. Captain Atwood petitioned Parliament . for compensation in money for injury i suffered in connection with the decision i of the Court of Inquiry at Auckland and dated January 19, 1903, into the wreck of the s.s. Elingamite. . The report' of the committee runs as follows:—"The committee most strongly and unanimously recommend Captain Atwood's petition to the favourable consideration of the Government; and that a copy of the letter, dated September 18, 1912, from the Merchant Servico Guild, showing the financial loss Captain Atwood has definitely suffered, be attached to this report." 1 -Mr. J. H. Bradney (Auckland West) presented (he report of the Public Petitions C'ommitteo on the petition. He stated that the report was to the effect that tho committee strongly and unanimous'- recommended the petition to tho Government for favourable, consideration. Mr. T. M. Wilfor!l'(Huft) remarked upon the unequivocal terms of the. committee's recommendation, and urged the justice of it. It had clearly been established that Captain Atwood had "been wrongly convicted at the nautical inquiry, but ho hesitated to suggest to tho Government what sum of money would constitute adequate compensation. Since ho had been degraded ten years ago, he had earned, at tho rate of £410s. per week JE2340. If hi) had retained his ship ho would have. earned in (hat tiino .£I2OO, and an a.nmml bonus of £25 per year,'so that his total loss in earnings alone was .£2llO. Nor was this his only loss, for ho had been unjustly held up to public opprobiuni for liaving caused loss of life.. He had also suffered by loss of prestige, and the Government ought to compensate him to some reasonable extent for these losses, which could not be, exactly computed. . . The Hon. A. L. Herdman (Minister for Justice) said he happened to thing of Captain Atwood's case, but he did not propose to say any more about it than that tho Government wouW thoroughly investigate (he whole case, and if, an injustice had been done they would see that it wofilcl bo remedied. Mr. G. Vi. Russell (Avon) said he hoped tho Government would not recoinpenso Captain Atwood for his sufferings with a niggardly hand. Sir Joseph Ward (Awarua) said tho Minister had given the only possible replv. tt had been abundantly proved that Captain Atwood had suffered an injustice, and the country had a responsibility in the matter. He approved the' Government's 'decision, and ho "would support the Government in- any motion to compensate Captain Atwood for file sufferings that he and those associated with liim had suffered. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Chrislchurc.h North) fitrongly supported the recommendation ot' the'committee. As a member of tho committee he had had an opportunity of •isking a question of Captain Atwood whellier or not it was a fact that; companies instructed masters oil the one hand to observe nil possible caution, and oil tho other hand gave masters to Understand that if lliey did not run to time other men would be found who would keep time. Captain Atwood had said this was so. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) gave a contrary instance. When the master of tho Maori had anchored inside the Wellington Heads a few weeks ago, rather than lake tho risk of crossing the Straits in rough weather, ho had received a special congratulatory letter from the Union Company tor having exercised a wise discretion and safeguarded Ihe passengers and his ship. (Hear, hear.) Mr. A. S. Malcolm (Clntha) said that there was a daiiser lest should assume that it was its duty (o compensate everybody wrongly convicted in Iho Coufts. He strongly disagreed with : this view. In (his case, however, (ho I Government, was responsible) and it was •the duty of' Parliament to recoup Captain Atwood for loss' suffered.