THE WARATAH.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 May 1910, Page 4

THE WARATAH.

HOARD OF TRADE ENQUIRY. SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS. CONFLICTING EVIDENCE. The following are extracts from the .evidence of -witnesses, taken in Australia, last week, as to tho seaworthiness of tho Waratah :— Nicholas Shanpe, an able seaman, of 37 Clarence street, Sydney, stated that ho spoke to Mr Owen, chief officer of tbo Waratah, in London, and asked for employment. Mr Owen replied, "I'll take your name, but if you can get anything else boloro tho 20th take it, because this ship will ho a coffin for somebody.'' Sharpo joined the boat on April 23, 1009, for tbo voyage to Australia. Off (Tsbanfc and in the Ray of Biscay he noticed that the vessel would roll to leeward, stop, continue to roll, and then recover. That was unusual in any ship. Tho vessel had a list on one side or the other throughout the voyage. While he was engaged in painting the boats the paint ran through the seams. He heard Mr Owen say to the boatswain, "Those boats will bo little good to save life in." At Sydney ho sa.w some of the erew attempt' to shift one of the boats, but the davits had been rusted in. None of the boats bad been taken off the chocks while he was on. board, nor had any of them been hoisted into the davits except those which had hem there since the beginning of the voyage. Ho was sick on arrival at Sydney, and received his discharge there' on that ground. His real reason was that he thought tho vessel was unsea-worthy. Another seaman had told him that be was a. fool to go to sea in the boat, because she was topheavy. Edward Dischalar, barman, of Selwyn street, Moore Park, Sydney, stilted that be was an able seaman on the Waratah on the last voyage from liondon to Sydney. "Seamen in London had advised him .. to join the vessel. Ho was told that Captain llbery had said that either his reputation or the vessel would be lost. Mr Owen told the men not to step too hard on the bottoms of the boats when they were painting them. At Sydney it was found that tho davits had been rusted in. Ho found one boat so soft and rotten that it would not take tho paint. Fire drill was never practised. In the Bay of Biscay the vessel was rolling very badly. When she went over on her side she staved there for quite an appreciable time; then she would come back slowly, and roll over on the other side, and stay there in tho same wav. He would not complete his vova'ge in her, because he considered she was absolutely unsafe._ John Latimer, shipping dark. •> Queen's avenue, Sydney, stated that, on January Bth, 1909, Mr Henry, the second officer, said of the Waratah, "I don't like her at all. Between ourselves, I think she has a deck too many. the ship was coming round from the builders yards to London to load for Australia, we got caught in some heavy weather in the Channel, and she .rave me a scare, because I thought The was going over on her broadside >' In further conversation Mr Henry said, "I am uiffere.it to a seaman, and an officer cannot thiou up his job when he likes, but I intend to get out of her as soon as I ,e a chance," or words to that e - Feet At the wharf the "Waratah never appeared to be on an even

Samuel Richardson chief mechanical engineer of the Harbour Trust, stated that hd"Wfrom Adelaide to Durban on the Waratah on her last voyage. Her machinery was as good as such machinery could be, and was in exeelcondition. Hot build and conditions were excellent. She rolled slowlv, with .a distinct pause at the extremity of the roll. \a the Indian Ocean he noticed that when she pitched there was a slow recovery, especially from tho forward dip. One morning he said to the captain, " r don't like the behaviour of tins ship of yours any too well; she recovers too slowly for me.". Captain ilberv replied, "Yes, she is a little thabVav, but you must remember there are many thousands ot tons of (load weight to shift. When this once gets into motion it takes some power"to stop it, and w'liou stopped it takes considerable force to start it in the opposite direction." Ho was of the opinion that the vessel was tender, but not dangerously so under normal conditions. Once when the ship pitched heavily, she took a heavy sea over the port bow, and was an unusually long time m recovering. He said to Mr Saunders and Mr Ebsworth, "One of these days she will dip her nose down too far, and not come up again." This was said in a jocular manner. H. Skarratt Thomas, who voyaged from London on the Waratah, stated that she rolled considerably, and did not appear to recover herself quickly at any time. On one occasion he noticed that her rolling emptied all the water out of the bath. Ho found himself on the side of the bath, and the vessel appeared to remain on her sido for some time. Captain Frederick Tickell, whose son, George Herbert .vlan Tickell, was a passenger on the Waratah on her last voyage, stated that he saw the vessel leave Port Melbourne in July, 1 ( J09. She was perfectly upright, and had no sign of a list. He saw the Waratah proceeding astern of the Pilbarra, on which he Was a passenger from Port Adelaide down the river to Largs 15ay on July 6th. He watched her with a professional eye, and at no time did she give In in the impression of a tender ship. She remained perfectly upright, even when going round the Hen els, at a time when the rudder was over and the tug, which was assisting her, was broad on the bow.

Mrs Sarah Jane Ebsworth, of 15ox Hill, whose husband sailed as a passenger from Adelaide on July 7th, 1909, stated that her husband wrote from sea, under date of July 19th: "She is a fine sea boat, and as comfortable a vessel as one could uUh for." She received a, copy of Mr libsworth's diary from Julv 9th to July 24th, 1909. The dh \v h:id i-rt mention of unusual behaviour on Hie part of the vessel. Mr lvbswntii w.is formerly a ship's officer. Mr 0. H. Hoerter, >f 76 Pitt street, Sydney, was a on the first voyage of the "Waiat.ih. In his opinion the vessel l.ihuval ■splendidly His conversation with officers showed tlrnt their opinion ot I er was very favourable. "-he ivas « i'o.-y comfortable bo'it. though he

'.y< i'ki qualify this to the ■ x.c-o 1 '- t' nt she seem eel to roll a good deal, and was slow in recovering. T. J. Bua-rin, pantryman, served in the Waratah from Sydney to London and hack between December 28th, 1908, and April 26th, 1909. He saw nothing unusual in the rolling of the ship. The list of the vessel was the only thing out of the ordinary. • Captain John Taylor Anderson, of the Victorian Stevedore and Contracting Company, in Lis evidence, gave particulars of the cargo put into various holds at Port Melbourne before the last departure of the Waratah. As far as he knew, no coal was put on board there. The cargo was stowed well flnd securely, in the usual method. Every precaution was taken to prevent shifting or chafing. Cargo was placed in the position directed by the ship's officers. There was no list when the Vessel left Port 'Melbourne.

Pilot Do We, of 'Willi.imstown, who took tho vessel from Port Melbourne through tlio Heads, stated that she appeared to ho staunch, ■and every way fit for the voyage. He saw u'o sign of a list, nor did she appear to be tender. ■■■■■BBnBBBaBHDtitfaHBI