MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2523, 26 July 1915, Page 7

MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY

OFF WHANGAREI HEADS. I . Bt Telegraph.—Press Association. '' Auckland, July 24. . 'At the inquiry to-day into t(ie collision , between the scow Combino and tho barque Hazel Craig, off Whangarei Heads ion June 8, John Hudson, master of the jbarque, stated, that he was below when, •'•(he heard an order to put the vessel about. Ho rushed .on deck as the two ivessels . were, colliding. He saw: no light "of any. kind on the scow. Ho drew th« attention of the master of the scow to tho 'Hazel Craig's lights. Cross-examined, witness said he was •. perfectly cool, and his. crew behaved very ~well. j "Then," asked counsel, "why did you nblaze away with'a revolver?" , . Witness;. "It wa3 to call tho scow's at- . 'tention to the fact that she had collided . Tvith. my boat" 'l. Counsel: "Did you fire at.him?" Witness: "I never fired at him'i , I fired, in. the air to draw his attention." • Witness admitted he did swear at the '.toaster .of the 6cow, and say'he deserved ,to be shot. It would have been possible 'lot the impact to extinguish tho scow's : lights. Isaac .'Corbett, master of the tug Waitangi, r which was towing the Hazel . Craig when the collision occurred, said that; when he first saw the scow, she was 20 feet away. He saw iio light on her. ( Then he saw a light which appeared to b<3 carried from port to starboard.