THE POHERUA MISHAP.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 250, 30 October 1901, Page 2

THE POHERUA MISHAP.

CAPTAIN ADAMS EXONERATED. [By Telegraph—Press Association.] Wellington, last night. The enquiry into the striking of the steamer Poherua between the Tower Rocks and Capo Stevens, on the loth inst., was held to-day before Mr Hasolden, S.M., and Captains lvidley and Smith, assessors.

Charles Adams, captain of the l’olieruu, gave evidence that he left Lyttelton for Westport on the 11th. Aider passing Cape Campbell he steered a course to clear the Jag Rock. Tho weather became hazy, and ho decided to take the passage between Capo Stevens and Stevens Island, lie failed to pick up Tower Rock, hut could see the Gape. He ordered the engineers to stand by ; then to go slow ahead. Next he saw the rock, and went full speed ahead, with the helm hard a port. The ship answered slowly, and touched slightly along the port bilge. She floated off in three hours, and he came on to Wellington. He attributed the accident to the strong ebb tide. Tho passage was usually taken by Union boats bound for the West Coast. He had been thirty-eight years at sea, twenty-seven its mister, and had never before had an accident.

Confirmatory evidence was given by the second officer.

The Court decided that Captain Adams pursued the usual course for vessels of the class of the Poherua. There was extra hazard in taking the channel inside Stevens’ Island on a foggy afternoon, hut the Court said it- did not find him guilty of negligence, as under the circumstances the set of the tide and the fog combined to bring about a situation which the master took the only possible course to retrieve. He was justified in taking the passage, and the fog came on when he was in a position in which it would have been more hazardous to alter the course than to pursue it.

No order was made as to the costs, and the master's certificate was returned.