ATALANTA-PILOT COLLISION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2151, 18 May 1914, Page 6

ATALANTA-PILOT COLLISION

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT. Judgment was delivered, by Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., oh Saturday morning regarding' the Magisterial Inquiry of the] previous day regarding the collision between tho small steam tug' Pilot and the -yacht Atalanta, which occurred in Wellington Harbour on April. 13 last. Dunne the hearing, Captain Lambert acted as nautical assessor;. Mr. TrVatson appeared for the owner of the Pilot (Mr. Zohvab); Mr. J, J. M'Grath for Captain Jones (master of tlie Pilot); Mr. A. Blair, for the owners of tho yacht; and Mr. E. T. W.' Maclaurin of Customs) for the Marino Department. . In giving his. decision, the Magistrate said that the Court had considered the evidence regarding the collision, ami considered: (1) That the primary cause of the collision was the-failure of the. master of the yacht .Atalanta to keep' a proper look-out; and (2) although the collision was mainly due to the negligence of the master of the Atalanta, yet the Court considered that Captain Jones had committed an error, of judgment in not taking some stops to avoid a collision when he saw it was imminent, and that the Atalanta was keeping on her course. The error of judgment was brought about by the Dractico of yachtsmen in Wellington Harbour sailing close to steam vessels, and then suddenly tacking.. The Court ordered that tho master and owners -of tho Atalanta pay the assessor's fee, £3 35.. in connection with tho inquiry, otherwise each party to pay its own costs.