Marine inquiry.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1922, Page 3

Marine inquiry.

MAORI-ZITA COLLISION

BY TELKGRAI’H —PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT j WELLINGTON. March 24. j An inquiry into tho collision between the ferry steamer Maori and . schooner Zita was held yesterday. Captain Hans .Johansen, master of the Zita said bo was called at 4.10 a.m. in a, hurry, and found the steamer was crossing his bow from starboard to port. The Zita was on the port tack. The steamer carried away [ the bowsprit, figure head and part of | the starboard bulwarks, and night j bends on the port side and the port j beads to the port rigging and also | smashed seven staunchions. He ex- | amiiu’d the Zita and decided to proj eeed to Y.’ellingon, but eventually had - to put back to Lyttelton, j John Williamson, mate ot the Zita. said at 3.40 he picked up a K tenmerh | lights two points to port about five or six miles away. At lour a.m. the steamer was still on tho Zita, s poitlx)W. She kept on till she was on the Zita’s starboard how, and then altoied j ],or course to starboard. Witness

jr-vve the order to hard a-starboai d, when lie saw a collision was likely, hut his vessel had such little way on that she was slow in answering her helm. The Maori was steaming at about fifteen knots, her usual speed. Had the respective courses been followed, there would have keen no collision. "Witness had been an officer on the Maori for nine months. After •passing Cook Strait, the Maori had no necessity to alter her course. The Maori first altered her course three points and then made a half circle before colliding with the Zifa. He heard no signal from the Maori when she was approaching. Captain Irwin of the Maori said that was called at 4.02 a.m. on Sunday. The chief officer told him the Mac • had just collided with a schoonet. The witness got hack to the schooner as quickly as possible, but when informed that she was alright ho proceeded to Lyttelton. On examining the ship there he found the vessel appeared to have been struck fairly heavily on the port quarter, but there were no dents. Robert George Covle, second officer of the Maori, said lie was on duty from twelve to four. The weather was clear at 4 a.in. and he. had a good look round with his glasses and could sco nothing. The. Board of Trade lights were supposed to he seen at two miles. At 2.8 he heard the "Waliine sounding for signals. There were patches of fog j inshore. i George Brotherton Morgan, chief ' officer of the Maori, deposed lie went on duty at lour a.in. About 4.10 witness sighted a red light, a point and a half on the starboard how. He gave . the order to port, then port aood ' then hard a-port. The positions wc re ; so close that witness could do nothing but keep the Maori on the port liol n, and to try to get across the Zita s bow. Had he altered the helm. he i would have rammed the Zita. Wit- | ness only saw the vessel about two ! minutes before the collision, when she : was two miles away. 1 Cross-examined, witness said no could have avoided a collision hv keeping his course. He gave way in the correct manner, to avoid a collision. If both vessels had kept their course there would have been fifty feet between them. He did not see the Zita because she was on the fringe of a fog hank, and she could see further out of it than lie could see into, it. After the evidence of the look-out

and helmsman of the Maori had been heard, the Court held that neither Captain was blameworthy and returned their certificates. The Court was asked to take Into consideration whether the action of either Captain had contributed towards the collision. Judgment was reserved-