SYDNEY FERRY DISASTER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 18 November 1927, Page 9

SYDNEY FERRY DISASTER

COURT Of inquiry.

FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD.

Sydney, November 17.

The Greycliffe inquiry was resumed to-day. William Bryant, chief petty officer on the destroyer Success, gave evidence that he was accustomed to estimate higher speeds of vessels from 14 knots. On the da- of the collision he was on the pontoon at Garden Island when the Tahiti passed. She was nearer in than usually was the case and doing about 12 knots. After the Tahiti passed the pontoon rocked as it had never rocked before. This was caused by the Tahiti’s passing. The Greycliffe and the Tahiti appeared to be converging. Then the Greycliffe altered her course in such a way as made the vessels converge quicker. Fifteen seconds later the collision occurred. Then, with models and a chart, witness showed how the Greycliffe, after changing her course, naa crossed the Tahiti and was struck on the port quarter by the bow of the liner. Just before the accident, witness added, he saw steam come from the side of the Tahiti, indicating two blasts of the whistle. Walter Halliwell. pettv officer on the Success, gave evidence that he also was on the pontoon at Garden Island on the day of the collision. He saw the Greycliffe after her course. She appeared to be drifting sideways to port. The wind was very sight. He observed the drifting movement when the ferry was 400 yards from the pontoon, and it went on continuously until the collision. The Tahiti passed the pontoon travelling about 12 knots, and appeared to be making up speed and heading on the same course as the Greycliffe. After describing the swirling of the water around the pontoon as the Tahiti passed, witness said he had not observed a similar condition before, as big overseas boats did not usually pass so close to the pontoon. Witness added that he could only account for the collision by the drift of the Greycliffe.