MARINE ENQUIRY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 30, 5 February 1913, Page 8

MARINE ENQUIRY

» ♦ A magisterial enquiry into the stranding of the s.s. John on the 19th Decem-' her on her trip from Gisborne to Wellington, was commenced this afternoon, before Dr. M' Arthur, S.M., and Captains Gillespie and Black, assessors. ' Mr. S. I*oßo appeared for the Marine Department} Mr. S. ICirkcaldie for Cap-, tain Holm; Mr. H. Buddie for the first' officer (Mr. W. Roberts) ; .and Mr. Wilford for the second officer (Mr. C. B. Atkinson). Mr.. Rose, in opening the case, said the vessel left Gisborne on 18th December for Wellington, and early in tho morning of the 19th she stranded near Napier, miles out of her course. He called Captain Holm who said the vessel left Gisborne for Wellington at 2 o.m. on the 18th December, and he was ia charge until 7 p.m., when she was oft Portland Island. He?set the course south-west by Eouth. when the second mate took charge. He Went on the bridge again at 8.30 p.m., when the first mate was in charge. The vessel was then steering the course he had set, and he told the- first mate when there was sixty on the log to steer south by West and half-west. When he awoke at 2.30 a.m. the vessel Avas aground. He found out from the officers that they had' steered south-west by west and half-west Tho fir^t -aiKl'sec ond •officers had access to the chartroom, 'where the chart was kept. (Left Bitting.;

i , In connection with an interview with Mr. F. S. Steffan on the subject of red deer in the Otago district Mr. Steffan . wishes to point out that in his , opinion no body has done more than tho Otago Acclimatisation Sqciety to further the piopagat'ion of red deer. Mr. J. Lomas, Secretary for Labour, and Ml 1 . Ritchie, loft ior tho Eorni Ctiast (North Island) to-day,, j