THE RIPPLE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 September 1924, Page 9

THE RIPPLE.

MAGISTEJUAL ENQUIRY. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 10. The magisterial enquiry into : the loss of the. steamer Ripple . is. being held, Mr Riddell, S.M., presiding,' with Captains E.W. Barron and \V. Muir as assessors. " ■ \ Mr Prendeville, opening for the Marine Department; said that some rather hysterical ‘ statements had been made and suggestions put forward. It -was not the function of the present court to go into such matters. No doubt the department would take such measures as it thought fit \o have a full enquiry as to the avoidance of similar disasters. He Mr O’Regan,' who appeared for several widows of men lost, said he did not think it wise to issue prohibition as to the evidence in the enquiry, which was really in the nature. of a coroner’s inquest. It was desirable to ascertain all 'the facts. Mr Riddell said there were no doubt other matters, but until there was a proper order of reference it was doubtful whether the present court should go into the other matters. The court of enquiry was bound by the Shipping and Seamen’s Act. Evidence was then called, v William Henery, Inspector of Machinery for the Marine Department, stated that he made his last survey of the Ripple in September, 1923, from the sixth to the twenty-fifth days. The whole ship was in good seaworthy condition, and only two minor repairs were necessary. The hull was thoroughly examined. A new shoe in the stem was required. The boilers were in fair condition. A patch had to be put on to .one of the combination chambers. All the repairs required .were carried out satisfactorily. The steering gear was in good order. r ■ Seamen’s Union), witness., said he did not know whether any survey had been made in the 10 months which " had elapsed since his own survey and the loss of the vessel. Harold Fletcher Tomlison, surveyor of ships for the Marine Depaitment, who made a survey of the Ripple with last witness, said that the ship was in very good order. This applied to the boats and life-saving apparatus. The provisions were renewed in the boats, compasses were adjusted, 17 new hatches were made, and boat drill was taken. Tomlinson continued ; No exhaustive examination had been made of the vessel since September, 1923. He examined her on August 6. on the afternoon she left on her last voyage. To Mr Young: The starboard side of the decks fore and aft ■-was blocked with deck cargo. He did not notice whpnier the vessel had a. list. So far as'He 1 knew, she was a full ship in the holds. It was quite possible that with the starboard side blocked with deck cargo and the port side fairly clear she would have a fairly decent list. He did net know whether the Ripple had, ballast tanks to put her an a fairly even keel. He did not inspect any sails on the ship, as she was a full•Jjpvrered steamship. He did not see a sea. anchor on the ship. in the event of a breakdown in the .machinery in a steamer without sail or a sea anchor she would probably' fall into the trough of the sea and be helpless and roll heavily. In reply to a. question whether heavy seas would be. .liable to stove in the hatches of a. ship in that position, • witness said that was quite possible. The Ripple carried two boats, a life, boat and a surfboat. The last was a bea.vy boat. She had an oil engine. He thought that it was possible with a. crew like the Ripple had to put the srri'boat in the water by hand. To Mr Stevenson, witness said that the deck cargo, of the Ripple was 13 J tons by measurement. He could not say what it was by weight. It would be about 91 or 10 tons. All the. crew were expert at handling boats. If the seas had smashed in the hatches he would expect the cargo to come ashore. He would have noticed a decided list had there been one.