EXPLOSION ON A CUTTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2567, 15 September 1915, Page 3

EXPLOSION ON A CUTTER

EVIDENCE AT THE INQUEST. B7 Telegraph.—Press Ay social; oil Auckland, September 14. , The fatalities which occurred in Auckland Harbour on August 21, when a man named George Whisker was drowned from the powder cutter Rosalie, and the master of .that,craft, William Robert Huff, was fatally burned, were the subjects of inquiry to-day by the Coroner. Mr. Cutten. ; John Coutts,-fisherman, who was on the Rosalie,- said the captain'of the vessel invitied him .to have a drink of whisky'.'with two other men —Taylor and Whisker.. They were all . drunk, though the captain was not as drunk as, Taylor or Whisker, The cutter had dropped anchor, owing to the tide. This was done by' the captain, while Taylor lay, in the explosives hold, and .Whisker !sat in the cockpit. ■ There were sixteen, or seventeen kegs of powder in the hold. Witness went into the forecastle, from where he heard somebody calling out from another boat. He went on deck, saw Whisker in the water and got out the dinghy. Whisker sank just as witness reached him. Witness informed Huff what had occurred, then rowed ashore and informed the police. Meanwhile an explosion occurred 011 the Rosalie. Huff and Taylor were found badly burned; •-.

In cross-examination, witnessed. admitted that all on board the cutter were smoking. . The Coroner returned a verdict that death was. due to severe shock after severe bums. He said the evidence did not show how the explosion occurred, but it showed that deceased and the other men on board were drinking and smoking. The cutter was licensed and properly equipped for carrying explosives, and no reason-was suggested for tho explosion by evidence other than careless and improper conduct of those on board at the time.