ARAAURA COLLISION ENQUIRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 March 1917, Page 3

ARAAURA COLLISION ENQUIRY.

Auckland, March 19 The nautical inquiry concerning the collision at Gisborne between the Arahura and a Home liner was continued to-day. Captain Goddutd, master of the lin6r, recalled, s ail he wished to correct a statement regarding the position of his ship. She did no have her anchorage at all prior to the collision. Captain Dryden, of the Arahura, said that when be went to sea on the night of the collision the red light of the liner was burning—uot the green. He fob it was the liner’s duty to keep clear of him. Howard To woe Fell,'chief officer of the liner said he did no see the Arahura after dark on the day of the collision, aa she was hidden by the Wimmera. When ha reported to the master that cargo was finished he received orders to lift the anchor, and as the stook came out of the water he reported, “Anchor a-weigh.” Ho turned and noticed that the navigation lights came on almost immediately. The anchor was heaved into the hawse pipe, and as witness turned round he noticed the Arahura on the starboard side making towards the liner. She was well clear of the liner’s : oow, because only ouß of her Bide ights was visible. He continued to watch the vessel, and did not notice rny alteration in her course till the ihips were close together. He thought ;he Arahura would be travelling at rom five to six knots ahead towards he liner. The vessel had gone about lalf pa3t th 9 iiner when she truck the liner’s stem. She scraped >as!, touching all the time. When he irafc saw the Arahura she was between j 100 and 300 yards away, He did not r iear anyone call out or report to the t aptain that a Bhip was bearing down r a the liner, It would be about a t ouple of minutes after the anehor was ome when the Arahura struck the j ner. He did not report to the captin when he first saw the Arahura, s he considered the master had eeen er. The only vessel that the liner ook steps to warn that she was gomg j ( 3 sea was the tugboat, and he bad not eard of any custom in Gisborne of j easels about to go out giving signals ) other ships. j John Cowell Greaves, third officer y i the Home liner, said h 9 was on the ridee. He saw the masthead lights jy ad the red light on the Arahura, as „ le rounded the Wimmera’e bow. a—am———— 4