COOK STRAIT INCIDENT

Evening Star, Issue 19797, 22 February 1928, Page 10

COOK STRAIT INCIDENT

PUBLIC INQUIRY ORDERED {.Special to tbb ‘Stab.’] WELLINGTON, February 21. The Minister of Marino has decided, in the interests of public safety, that the circumstances attending an occurrence which caused much alarm to passengers on the Picton steamer Tama* bine and the Sydney steamer Maunganui recently, when they appeared to be in danger of colliding, shall bo investigated at a public inquiry. He is taking this action under the terms of section 239 of the Shipping and Seamen Act, which enables official inquiries to be hold into occurrences which do not cause an actual marine casualty. The court usually comprises a magistrate, with an assessor, and has power to make an order for the payment of costs by any party which it deems blameworthy; and it has to report to the Minister of Marine. As both vessels will bo in port on Wednesday next (February 29) it has been arranged to hold the inquiry on that dav. It will be conducted by Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M. When the incident was brought under the notice of the Marine Department reports wer i called for from the two ship masters concerned, that from the master of the Maunganui being received on his return to Wellington last .Saturday, The reports, together with that of the nautical adviser to the Government, were considered by the Minister of Marine, who, as indicated, has directed the magisterial inquiry to be held. No nautical assessors have been appointed in this case, as is customary where an inquiry is held into an actual shipping casualty. The action taken by the Marine Department is altogether independent of anv inquiry held by the Union Steam Ship Company, which after investigating the matter decided that breaches of its own rules had been committed by the masters of the Maunganui and Tamahine, who were relieved of their commands, and arc to be appointed to cargo ships of the company’s fleet.