MAITAL INQUIRY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3007, 19 February 1917, Page 6

MAITAL INQUIRY

THE CAPTAIN GIVES EVIDENCE, By Telegraph-.—Press' Association Auokland, February 17. The inquiry into the stranding of thel R.M.S. Maitai at Rarotonga commenced to-day, Mrl Kettle, S.M., was chairman, and Captains J. R. Reed and W.R. Holmes were the assessors. Mr.Selwyn Mays, for the Marine Department, said that if the evidence showed that the captain had acted under the instructions of the owners in endeavouring to pick up two anchors in the Avarua roadstead, ne might have to ask permission later to cite the owners. - ■ -, ■- Charles Mac Lean, master of the Mai- ■ ta'i, stated that the vessel arrived ati Avarua roadstead on December 25, ati ahout 4.30 p.m. There was the usual ocean swell, hut the night was calm. Some months previously Captain Williams.had lost a couple of anchors and cables, and witness tried to pick up one which had been buoyed. It was quite daylight when he gave the order to stop at 6.34 p.m. The vessel's head did not go beyond the buoy. After failing to pick up'the anchor he pub the steamer's,head to'sea, and told thei chief officer that he was going to anchor at 8 p.m. The ship was stopped, and there was a'little sternway. where' soundings gave 16 fathoms, and he lei) go the starboard anchor. He' then let the steamer go "slow astern," sd as to stretch the cable., in order that' it could not foul. He then went "slow ahead," to take the strain of? the cable. The ship then tailedround head on to Thine Point. Shorfclv afterwards the chief officer'sang out: that'the cable has parted, when he put) the'steamer at half-speed. When ilia saw the steamer swinging in too\quickly he nut the steamer "full spe»rt ahead." He reckoned ■ that if the steamer had touched the bottom »' moment before he went. "full speed, ahead"\sh» would not then answer.the helm. The, steamer than grounded heavily, and there it remained, though' he kept the. engines' at "full speed phead"'to keep the vessel's stern in deep water. The ship was drifting so fast broadside on to the reef that he .was afraid to pro-full steam astern: lest-the vessel should smash her stent lost p.nd rudder. For that reason' he ordered "full steam ahead." the) "helm hard a port:" He knew a wnsterlv .current was running at the tunc,and the engine was kept <roing alt night; tryiiur to get th» ship out of danger. He afterwards found fiat' one link of the cable had parted. The Maitai was inspected last March, and the cable should harp stood the strain' quite easily. The. inquiry was adjourned. " ' ✓ '