Unsatisfactory Evidence of Tahiti’s Master

Evening Star, Issue 19785, 8 February 1928, Page 3

Unsatisfactory Evidence of Tahiti’s Master

Pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright

SYDNEY, Febnuiry 7. The coronial inquiry into the death of the victim*, ol the Greycliff e-Tahiti collision, which lasted twenty-five days has concluded. The Coroner, in returning a verdict of accidental death, said that there was negligence on the part of those responsible lor the careful and proper navigation of the Tahit’ in exceeding the speed limit allowed by law. and in not, as the overtaking vessel, taking the required necessary precaution to keep out of the way of the cseel being overtaken. There was contributory negligence by the officer navigating the Greyclifl’e in not taking the required necessary precaution to ascertain, before alterin’ his course, or at the moment when he discovered that his vessel’s course was altering (ns the case may bo), whether or not he was being overtaken by another vessel. These acts did not in law amount, under the whole of the circumstances. to criminal egligcnce.

Tin’ Cumnei t iii>u ivliTivci to tii<* unsatisfactory nature ol the evidence given hy the captain ol the Tahiti, and commented on the lact that the Tahiti left the hnrhor without giving any intimation to the police of such intention.

The. Coronet added that he had come to th? following conclusions:- That at the time of the collision tho Tahiti had attained a speed ol about twelve knots hourly. Starboarding her helm and reversing her port engine when it was discovered that the Clreycliffp was altering her course to port probably made no substantial change in the course or speed of tho Tahiti up to tin' moment of the collision. The C<revel iffo took substantially her usual course when leaving Garden Island, steering for approximately the same point, that the Tahiti was heading For. rind attaining a speed ol about nine knots hourly when her course was pltered to port to the extent of from a point to a point and a-lialf a - the moment when tho Tahiti was about ,‘tOOft astern of her. and when their courses were about L'UDft apart. Whether the Greycliffc’s alteration of her course was duo to the voluntary act, of the ferry's helmsman or was performed hy him unconsciously through habit developed hy years of practice the coroner wrs unable to k;iv. If l.he chains of tne steering gear of the ferry wore so slack as to allow such a decided falling away in course, which he douhted. gre ter care should he exercised in seeing that ihcy were kept, satisfactorily adjusted. If tho how wave repulsion created bv tho Tahiti commenced movements at all. it was not. until a stage had been reached when tl ,r> collision was unavoidable TAHITI’S SPEED EXCESSIVE. Although the Tahiti loiluwcd approximately the proper course lor outwardbounci seagoing vessels, she at tlie time vi Uio collision was considerably exceeding the speed limit allowed by the Sydney liar our Trust regulations namely, eight knots hourly. Those whose duty it "as salely to navigate the Tahiti tailed to delect tho close proximity ol lue Grcydillc. Although tlieir courses were mill slightly convergn g, they would on a comparatively slight a Iteration of course ol cither lean to an unavoidable collision, owing to tlieir relative positions and speeds as the scene of the disaster was approaching. The Greyed he's navigating ollieer was apparently content that while ail was dear ahead there was n uecesmiy lor him to ascertain (w'en hs noticed his vessel alter her course slightly to port) whether lie was being overtaken by another vessel, and, probably nut anticipating such a contingency m view ut the speed at which Ida) own vessel was travelling, ho failed to exercise the precaution required by the regulations for preventing collisions at uca—that is, lie should keep a proper lookout—and thus a position was created which those navigating the Tahiti had failed, ins the overtaking vessel, to guard against.

“To complete tho ii nlorhi na to sulci' drciimstances that led to the uisustcr it appears,” lie said, " tJiat ilie Jerry altered her course to port at an earlier stage than usual, whereas if the alteration had been delayed lor a further minute or a minute and a-half tlui Tahiti would probably have come into view on her port side. This fact, however, it one ol the contributing causes of the collision, does not absolve the officers responsible for tb© Tahiti, further than that the pilot in charge, who was no doubt well acquainted with the usual movements of ferry steamers plying between Garden Island and Nielson Park, may not have anticipated that, the Greycliffe’s course would alter until a later stage of her journey.” The Coroner added that other matters which he felt should, in the public interest, bo mentioned, were the unsatisfactory nature of the evidence given by the master of the Tahiti, more particularly his attempt to lead the court to believe that the statement taken from him by the New Zealand police was obtained by threats, and made under compulsion, which, in view of the circumstances under which the statement was taken, the Coroner regretted to say, he could not believe, and he was unable to attribute it to unconscious bias. The Coroner continued that lie should mention also the fact that while the work of rescue and the recovery of bodies was still in progress, and the attention of the police was fully occupied with that work, the Tahiti loft tile harbor in continuation of her voyage to New Zealand without inquiry being made as to whether, in the interests of justice, the police wished to obtain statements from those on board her. and without any intimation to the police that she was (hen leaving. FELLOW-PILOTS’ TRIBUTE. SYDNEY. February 7. (Received February 8, at 0.15 a.m.) The sea and harbor pilots have writ ten to the State Superintendent of Navigation desiring that the high esteem in which Pilot Carson (who was In charge, of the Tahiti) is held by every member of the service should be placed on record and brought to the notice of the Treasurer.