RONGA ENQUIRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1767, 7 June 1906, Page 3

RONGA ENQUIRY.

(Per Pjess Association.) Lyttelton, last night.

Me Bishop, B.M, gave hia deoision at Lyttelton this morning in the Magisterial enquiry into the oapsiziog of the schooner Ronga. Ho said the schooner loft Lyttelton on April 2lst about noon, when a southerly gale was blowing. She probably arrived off Cape Campbell about midnight, and was oapsized by tbo violence of the wind and see. It would appear she then had all sails set. It was quite im posable, in the absencs of direct evidence, to slate the cause of the disaster. After the alterations to the masts and sails wbioh had been made, tboßoDga was considered thoroughly safe if sufficiently ba’lasted, and the ballsst properly seoured. She had 33 tons of coal properly trimmed, but without shifting boards, when sbe left Lyttelton, and it was staled to have been then sufficiently ballasted The Magistrate wishes to direct the attention of the Minister of Marino to the evidence in the enquiry, with a view to considering whether it does not indicate the necessity for regulations providing for some supervision of vessels of the type of the Rooga, so as to ascertain their stability and seaworthiness of sail-oarrying capacity before they are allowed to prooeed to sea. The assessors did not consider such regulations nt cassary, and were of op’nion that they would tend too much to hamper trade.

They agreed with tbo Magistrate that the use of shifting boards should bo made onupulsory in the oasa of euoh vessels when oarryiDg loose bollas*.