THE RIPPLE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 September 1924, Page 8

THE RIPPLE

MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY

tBY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON. Sept. 13. The magisterial inquiry into the loss of the steamer Ripple was resumed today. Captain Sewell. master of the steamer Mararoa, said his vessel left Lyttelton on the evening of the- 6th of August for Wellington. The weather was not had till they got to Kaikourai, when the wind freshened at about one o’clock in the evening. _ At 2.30 he got a wireless that- the Ripple liad broken down off Cape Falliser and wanted assistance. The Mararoa. was then 30 miles off Kaikoura. On; receipt of the message witness went on the bridge and prepared to shape a; course for Cape Palliser. Rain was beginning to. set -in. At 3 o’clock he got approximate bearings of Cape Campbell lighthouse. .He then set a course definitely for Cape Palliser. Owing to the heavy sea and a heavy beam wind he allowed for leeway. It was flood tide in the strait. That course would have taken him five miles off Cape Palliser. He run for 40 miles by log and saw darkness ahead, which appeared to be the loom of land. He then reduced speed. A hard southerly gale was then blowing with a very heavy sea. The ship was shipping heavy seas on. the beam. At 9.12 he saw the loom of land: abeam, and he again altered his course and dodged' around, steering various courses. He stood in as close as he thought safe in the circumstances. A heavy rain kept shutting out the view of land. At 11.52 the weather lifted and showed the outline of land quite clear. The 'lighthouse was hearing -N. 36 west, six miles away. The visibility was so bad /that they could not see half a mile. It was about four hours after getting the 1 message that the Mararoa. was off Cape Palliser. It was the quickest possible tiriie consistent 'with safety. The Maori could steam four miles Taster than the Mararoa. He doubled whether the Maori- could have got to Cape Palliser in such weather sooner ' than the Mararoa- did. He did not think it would have made any difference .if the. Ripple had been equipped with wireless, as under the conditions it >a.s . impossible to. pick up Cape Palliser.. .. Tiie-inquiry was adjourned till 'Wednesday.