THE ADELAIDE-WAIRARAPA COLLISION ENQUIRY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3935, 29 February 1884, Page 3

THE ADELAIDE-WAIRARAPA COLLISION ENQUIRY.

Dunedin, This day

The inquiry respecting the collision between the Adelaide and tho Wairarapa was continued yesterday. The principal witness was Mr A. Hill Jack, manager of the National Insurance Company, who was a passenger. He said the Wairarapa appeared to be going at ordinary full spoed, and then continued, "I was sitting in the music room when the talking and shouting of the passengers on deck caused me to step outside. I discovered a steamer nearly abreast of us on the port side, and the passengers on both steamers were very much excited The steamers wero near enough for the passengers of each vessel to hear what was said. The steamers approached ono another several times quite closely, and I noticed flames coming out of the funnel of the Adelaide. I judged by tho smoke that our steamer was also coaling up, but there was no'flame from her funnel, and when the collision took place I at first thought there had been an explosion. I heard nothing about a race going to tako place." The Collector of Customs said the evidence would : be forwarded to the Marine Department at Wellington. Captain Chatfield said he did not see the object of the enquiry, as the matter would have to be ' gone' into at Melbourne. Captain Thomp - son pointed out that the law required that a preliminary enquiry should take place at the first' port n at which a vessel arrived I after an accide t.