THE WATERSIDE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 213, 28 May 1918, Page 7

THE WATERSIDE

ACCIDENTS COMMISSION MARINE INSPECTORS GIVE EVIDENCE WELLINGTON SESSION ENDS

Tho Watersido Accidents Commission concluded its Wellington session yesterday. Tho Hon. T. M. Wilford is chairman of the commission, and tliero sat with him Captain M'Arthur, Messrs. J. Marehbanks, J. Roberts, and L. Glover. The chairman stated that on Saturday afternoon ho went down tho wharf and went on board a certain ship thnt was unloading general cargo and cement at ono of the hatches. Ho worked tho wincn at the hatch, and found that tho band brake had 'no effect whatever as a bra.ee. He found also that the'lashing at tho gear lever in connection with tho pin to prevent declutching was down on the winches which ho inspected. Ho also Sound that tho men at tho winch enpged at tiie time in unloading cement hail rigged a substantial batten above the drum or cylinder on which the wiro ropo coiled in order to prevont it going over tho end of the drum, the height of tho Uango being hardly a margin of safety. He examined tho stea.n pipes and their position in relation to the men who would be sitting down and working tho winch, .inverting to the matter of tho brake, the chairman said that after stopping the winch he put tho brake full down and then got the winchman (not one who was sailed at tho commission) to start the machinery, and tho band brake had no effect in lessening the speed of the revolution of the winch.

t ; Arthur Calvert, for seventeen and a .aalf years surveyor of ships and inspector of machinery for the .Marino Department, was called by Captain Allport, Secretary of Marine. He said that before taking his present position ho .was for nine and a half years foreman engineer :it Cablo's foundry, and was also fifteen years at sea. He said that tho survey was made annually, and this wa« accordto the New Zealand Act and also to tho Board of Trade instructions. Clause !W of the Board of Trade Regulations read:—"Boilers and machinery used fur loading or unloading a vessel and used exclusively, for purposes unconnected with the motlvo power of a vessel do not forai part uf the machinery to be surveyed." In tho course of the annual inspection they had ;i look at tho winches, and if they noticed anything wrong they mentioned it. It was necessary that this snouid bo done, but ho did Dot think it was necessary to inspect machinery (the part ho was concerned with) uioro than mice a year. Coal hulk,boilers,and machinery were inspected annually. The work done at tho annual inspection was nil detailed in the annual report, lie •had at times found defects in masts and derricks.

.Captain Allport: Do you think it advisable that hulks should be placed under the Shipping and Seamen Act. for tho purposes of inspection? Witness: Yes I think u would bo ah novantage. Tho chairman: Your insoection docs Jiol include all the gear of the Harbour Board? Witness: No. The chairman: Would it be advisatflo «i have some general inspection of gear .used everywhere in connection with cargo, and that there should bo one inspecting authority? Witness: I think i*. would be a very Rood plan. Captain Allport: There should be one control? Witness? Yes. Captain Allport: Do you find any defects in harbour board gear? Witness: Very few. Mr. Glover: Would it anrprise you to hear that there are winches working in Wellington on whioh the steam cannot be stopped, and that the only way of stopping the winch is to centre the lever? Witness: Ye 9, it would. Mr. Glover: If that were reported to X'Oii,. you,..would immediately have it slopped P Witness: Yes. Mr. Glover: Would you think that a crane which leaks so much that it compels a man to rig a tent over himself or wear an oilskin is in a fit condition'' Wtiness: No. MY. Glover named a ship trading reguarly to Wellington on which ho said mis stato of affairs existed. 'Captain John Wood Hurgess. surveyor oi ships, said that between the annual inspections ho want round the ships lookiug at tho gear. Tho chairman:- Yon will, make everyone think you are out of work if vou put it that way: What you mean is that you do this every day and all day. I know what you <h, and do not want to see you leave it at that. You, do not put it very well for yourstlf.' Witness r,aid that owners at once complied with his requests, and there was no difficulty in getting near renewed. Some of tho British tramps which carno bero.were the worst offenders He often bad to go lo an officii- and tell him to. gat something renewed. By the chairman: Ho had heard Mr. Calvert say that it was not his obligation between annual inspections to look after tho winches, (hough he said ho had been called in occasionally. He said that

ho was a master mariner, and understood gear in ships, which he inspected tlioroughly. He was not an engineer, and though under instruction:! ho saw that puis that were used wero attached lo tho winch by chains, it was not his duty to attend to winches. Tho chairman: Then is tho obligation of keeping those winches in order at present simply on tho officers and engineers of tho ships,-' Witness: As far as I know. . The chairman: If they do not do it there is no Govprnmoiu oificer to do it, as far as you knor? Witness •. That is so. Mr. Hobcrts: Have any officers ever drawn your attention to defects Witness: Ko. They have asked my Gpinion about things. Mr. Roberts: Then the only people who have drawn your attention to defects arc hatchmen and winchinen? AVitness: Yes. To Mr. Glover: He would recommend the uue of hatchway nets, the shipping and unshipping of hatch-beams with iron spans, tho system of fastening T-irous shown in tho model, and the Health Department looking alter the dirty holds. Captain James Broailhousc (with twentyone years' sea experience and two years as shipping surveyor) said that ho agreed with Captain Burgess's evidence and his recommendations. T. Martin (chief mechanic to the Harbour Eoard), recalled by Mr. Marehbanks, stated that it was not correct to say that the Harbour Board cranes were generally defective and erratic in their action, i He had had complaints about the crane bnlls dropping, but he had been unable to make them do so. As an engineer, lie.could see no reason why they should drop. Tho cranemeu who complained j about tho crane balls dropping had told I him that it happened, but that it wav j impossible to rcprotltico it. That was j why he had tried it. If the chain j caught, and then slipped, then that j would he a "drop," but a drop could not i be caused by a leak in tho hydraulia i crane. ' i By Mr. Roberts: A drop of ten feet j could occur through the chain catching, but he could not conceive of it occur- j ring in any other way. He had been j unable to cause a drop in the normal I working of a crane. j At 12.3) p.m. the commission adjourn- > mi till 1(1 o'clock this morning at Lyttd-1 ton. 'I