NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1917, Page 3

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

| INTO LOSS OF A.K. JANE. j A nautical enquiry was held at the? i Courthouse this morning into the loss-;, •of the auxiliary ketch Jane, which was, ■ wrecked when entering the Oku mu : river on August 25th. i The assessors were Mr Hutchison, ’ S.AL, and Captain Cox, of Grey mouth, i yfr A. E. ATcGregor appeared for tho j Customs Department, Mr Park for j Captain A r asta, and Air Sellers for Air ! (Pittance (harbourmaster), j Joseph Cuttanoo, signalman at 1 Okuru, deposed ho held a master’s ! ticket with limited restrictions, also an engineer’s ticket with same restrictions. Have held the position of signalman at Okuru for 18 years, There had boon three serious stranding*; previously during his term of office—the auxiliary ketch Hercules, which ra me in against, the signals and no enquiry was held; the next was the Jane Douglas ’ (Capthin Anderson), which came in with bar dangerous signal up. the vessel was eventually launched: ,t!he thijrd was tho Jane. (Cn.ptaiin; Molntlytre), the stranding; was caused through the engines stopping after the vessel had crossed tho bar. These were the only serious strandings. On tho morning of the 25th of August, the Jane was in Bruce Bay. She was a cutter of 22 tons, supplied with auxiliary oil engines. He made it a practice to mark tho channel from day 1 o day, when the Jane was in the. veinity of Okuru, and to keep it marked. For three days previous the channel was practically in tho same, condition, and n's near as he could judge at a distance. 90 feet wide.. There was also a south channel 40 foey wide, and another small channel to the north, 20 foot wide. This latter one was gradually closing up. About 2.45 n.m. on the 25th received a telephone- 1 message from . ATahitahi, which henndorstood was from Captain Vasta.!j Fhe message was, “Keep a sharp look . mt for Jane, as she would probably i try to enter Okuru ns she was short ofL iro visions.” -At 3 o’clock the Jane: ; ,vas sighted, under sail. She was the n ; ihouf three-quarters of a mile off j here. The weather conditions wore asJ follows: weather cloudy: at 9 a.m. : here was a fresh breeze from the ! lortli; at noon iti was almost half a : rale with white water driving before- ; t. Tlie wind heentno squally and ati; L o’clock lit chopped round to the north.j vest. From 2 p.m. to 2.30 there were; quails from N.E. to N.\Y.. at 3 o’clock;: he wind had veered to the south-west, i qnnlly. the sea being at times smooth. i ind at times very heavy. The atmo*—, )hei - e was cloudy and threatening, i ;- •ieibility low. with every appearance, ! if a south-west' gale. After studying- ;j lie channel, nod erecting the front ! tea con , saw the Jane head for the ptiranco. There was 80 to 10p yards of - iroken water on tho bar. Then put-.; ip the hack beacon. The vessel was, J ibout 400 yards off the line of beacons., j vhon ho gave Flag B to take the bar.,' rho vessel wn's then about 800 yards. { mt of the hroken water. Noticed then ' i strong northerly set. As the vessel ; - vns nofc going to make the line of ' loaonns before entering the break, he ! 1 ugsalled. ‘‘Keep south.” She noted ifter he had given two or throe signals. 1 he vessel turning almost- at right ingles to the line of henrons. She vrs then about 000 yards out. Tho" agnalled “steady.’’ which the vessel ■omnlied with, and then headed ?n owards the bar. Noticing the vessel ’nllb-irr off the line of hen'eons. to the north, irenente'd the signal to keep, •oiith. Tlie vessel r-ns then about, a. engt-h of herself o"tsido the break, rhif was not entri"lied with. Tho'T-i vas a verv heavy tier of sens st’-iieV 1 the vessel at this time, which no doubt, nnde it difficult for the master to ibscrvo the signal. The vessel then ’omr right through the break, a little! -o tho north of the line of beacons, ■ FTer head was slightly turned toward*! ;he lino of beacons, and her stem Further away. Noticed her speed! gradually slow down. Tho vessel crossid the lino of beacons twice and there foil away to the north of the line. When the vessel took tho ground her bows were about 10 feet and stern 20 Feet, off the line of beacons. This position she praCltionlly kokpt until she was washed up on tho tail of the north spit. .She was then 30 feet forward anfl 40 feet aft out of the line, ind about If lengths ‘from where she first grounded. J. Harris, a neighbour joined witness at the front beacon, -0 minutes after she stranded. Drew his attention to the line of beacons and position of the vessel. Was solely influenced by the message he had received from Bruce Bay, coupled with the weather conditions in giving the signal to enter. Otherwise he would, not have done so. Tt- was top of high water at the time. He did not consider the bar was in a fit- condition for the vessel to attempt, it that day, through the alteration caused by the northerly sea during the morning. He found 1 after the stranding that the channel had changed. The tail of the north spit had extended fifty feet to the south into the line of beacons. Had he known this he would not have given the signals. He knew,there was a big risk, but under the circumstances lie took it. Think the vessel on that day could not have enteicc’ without grounding, even if on the line, of beacons. As near as he could gather she had only 4 feet aft and 2 feet' forward. On hoarding the vessel two hours later, found from where she had stranded, amidships, 15 feet away them was deep water. To Air Park —The last time he saw the channel was on tho morning of the 24th, and on the afternoon of the 25th after the stranding: found the north spit had extended 50 feet on a long angle. Owing to the sea there was no channel showing. There were three channels and the line taken was the centre one. Attributed the stranding to the. Captain’s failure to follow the second signal to keep to the south, and a series of strong seas .striking the vesel at the critical time. After the stranding, Captain Vasta did everything possible to save the vessel. To the Court The rise of the i ; do that day was 5 feet 6dn. Did not examine the channel the low water pre--1 vious to tho arrival of the Jane as her arrival eras unexpected. 1 Ivan Vasta, deposed he was a masti j- mariner. He was at Bruce Bay oi " the morning of the 24th in the Jane. \ 4 o+- rreirtn nrt tllf

24th to send a message to the harbormaster at Okuru, stating in the event of bad weather and the Jane having to clear out, to send a message to Cuttance and let him know, and if the bar is good to let him in. Had previously told Ritchie he was sorry he could

not let him. liave sandwiches as ho was short of bread, hut couhl give him meat., On the morning of the 25th bad weather coming on, cleared out from Bruce Bay for Jackson’s Bay for shelter, or if he could get into Okuru

would do so. Tho weather conditions w'*ro as described by Cuttancc. Got to Okuru about 2.30 p.m. Saw no signals up and remarked to one of the crew that there was no hope there. The wind changed suddenly to the southwest, and hauled out on the port- tack, towards Open Ray Island About midway between the Island and Okuru river noticed the beacons being put up, having n straight lead to tho river. Then hauled round in the dir-

ection of Okuru. Saw tho pilot at the front beacon, with the Red Flag about to wave it. Got in line with the beacons and he gave the signal to take tlie h ar. Kept the beacons in line and noticed him signalling to keep to tho southward. Brought the ship’s head slightly to tho south, but had not opened up the beacons when the pilot dropp ed his flag. Kept the beacons in tho same position almost in a line from tho time the pilot signalled, and grounded. Immediately after grounding the pilot waved his signal to the south. After grounding Scott sounded and got one foot of water in tho trough of the sea. Then graduallv drifted to the north. Drew the hands attention that- we were in the line of the beacons when we grounded. There were three islands and four channels. Attribute the stranding to the bar not being fit. for going ever the engines were working well and the ship not being fit for going over. The engines were working well and the ship was well found. The Jane was owned by the Hokitika Shipping Company. Had been master of the vessel for eight months. She was uninsured. When we went ashore as soon as possible we ran out an anchor and cable. All efforts to get her off were fruitless. Several attempts wore made before Sept. Ist when the engines were taken out, and as much gear ns possible wn« saved. The vessel ultimately became a. total wreck and witness and the crew came on to Hokitika. i To Afr. ATcGregor: When off Okuru

as about half a mile outside tin

break.. The signals 4 given at Oknrv are not hoisted, from a flagstaff. Never enter Okuru at the first signal of the red flag ns a mistake could easily he made, and had been warned hv others to he careful. Had a look at the bar when he first got up. From tho observations bo made and no sig-

nals being up, be nut the vessel out to sea and towards Jackson Ray. Thoro was a light set- to the north when entering, but- it ns of ho consequence. Was about 11 miles off the bar difficulty in seeing the red flag. Had when he saw. the beacons. Had no no difficulty an keeping the vessel op the beacons. The signalman, after the stranding rendered all the assistance he possibly could. Had Sce n the tail of the spit at Okuru shift before, but not 50 feet-.

To Afr. Sellers—There was nothing unusual m tlie harbourmaster receiving a message of the ship’s course. William Scott deposed lie was an A. 8.,. and wr.'s on tho Janp when she struck at Okuru. Ho agreed with what Captain Vasta had stated. Withstanding on the foredeek observin'the beacons. The vessel was right on tho beacons when she Rt-ruok. The next wave knocked her further np the beach to the north. Cause of the stranding was insufficient water. Everything possible was done to get the vessel off. After she struck, souridod right forward. I n .the draw hack of the wave there was one foot. The boat was drawing 2ft. Gins forward and 5 feet aft. Heard the Captain say there were no beacons up and very little hope of getting in. To Afr. ATcGregor—Was about a mile out and on a line wren the heneot»s when the signal t-o take the bar was given. Was pratdeally on the bar when the first signal to keep to tlie south, and were aground when the second signal vrs given.

The Court adjourned at 1 p.m

The Court resumed at 2 p.m. Joseph Cuttanfc’e -redaflled by Air. ATjpGregor—He did not sec Captain Vasta make the sweep in to view tlie bar. He could not come within 1A miles and not be seen. To the Court—Okuru bar was a shifting bar. Ho had known it to shift--12 chains in three days. This concluded the evidence. ATr. Sellers addressed the Court on (behalf (of the sijgn'alman. Mr. ATcGregor reviewed the evidence. The Court then adjourned to consider their decision. On returning they found as follows to the following questions put to them. “Whether the Signalman was justified in giving tho signal to take the bar?” Finding—That the signalman was not justified. “Whether the stranding was due i n any measure to the wrongful net or neglect of the master in tho navigation of the vessel?” Finding—That the stranding was not due to the Captain. The .Magistrate added that though the action was not justified they fou*’d the signalman was doing what he considered was the host course to follow in the circumstances. Xo order was made as to costs. The certificates were re*i>.-