Wiltshire Enquiry.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 June 1922, Page 3

Wiltshire Enquiry.

[ 11Y TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION]

AUCKLAND June 22. Captain Hayward continued:—lT< ordered the engines to go slow because ho was doubtful if they had got tinbottom with the 11 o’clock cast, and it was possible to get a better sounding when the ship was going slow. He did not expect to get any bottom, as he did not think the ship was so far to westward. He expected the position thru to he ten miles north-cast of Cuvier. Tin- conditions of visibility were not sufficiently bad to warrant him going slow long before. From the (•'■nditons obtaining, he did not think I her; would he any set of current, and he did urn attribute that set- to the weather, lie had heard of a current coming round East Cape. It was the .general opinion of shipmasters that there was an almost chronic set to the westward round there. In the evening he took what he thought were ordinary precautions, in approaching ('uvier lainnd. SOUNDINGS AND SPEED. At 'XV QUESTIONS TO CAPTAIN. AUCKLAND, June 22. At the Wiltshire inquiry to-day Mr Cut ten S.AI., said to Captain Hayward: What i can’t understand is this. II you get sounding information being such, that if it was night you would have turned your ship immediately, v.l-y did you take the risk of going mi while mu (becked it. The witness: We were not sure it was sounding. Mr Cullen: We can conceive that even on the circumstances, you did not .'ce the looming of land. The seas wenlolling very high. "We did not see the land till it was light above us. Even at daylight the sprindrift was breaking all over the island.

Air ( niton: What strikes us is a series of misfortunes in that the current set von 20 miles north, and another set sent you seven miles west of your course; that you should never have

Men Cuvier light at any stage of the course you must have taken : and when von got sounding that proved eventually to he correct, you disbelieved it. ami acted as if you reailv did disbelieve it The witness slated that so far as his actual ionise was concerned, the charting afterwards showed he was never nearer than 12 miles off Cuvier and the visibility was had. Captain Hayward stated the ship struck at 11.24 p.m. The ship’s time Was about 11.13 when he gave orders to go slow. Mr .Mays: "Win did you order the engines go slow 10 minutes before

striking. ■ Witness: Recalls-: tin- third officer: said it was doubtful if they had got . the bottom at the II o’clock sounding. Mid i; is possible to get better sound- ! ing v. lu-i: flu* sliin is going slow. I nwil rang on to tic eugin • ■ mom telegraph. I had enviously con- : -bed (he chait. and I did no! leave; the bridge. I did not expect to get iiiiv bottom at that. time, because ! : didn't think the ship was so iai ! V.. stward. I expected to lie then about, 111 mih. north east of Cuvier. "It didn't occur to witness then that he. w. -• close 1" the Harrier or Capo Col- ■ villi'.” We were aware trial the Par- ; ru-r and Cape Colville were the two • crave dangers.” The reason why he' did not turn round was that lie doubt- , cd whether the mate had touched thetom v. it It the east. The conditions, of visibility were not sufficiently bad ; ea[ bitn going -low long lie-j fore.” 1 •■Qiif trim : "With the decreasing visi- j hility and the uncertainty of the sound- ; jugs, can you tell us w hy you didn t g-> i

iV ,1. : * ii .cau-e I ! was wol 1(1 !! e oust ward i I' ' nvier.” Question: “At ! 1 n.in.” ■ Vow.” Tilt’ weather experienced am what no* ice he received I'tnm the Pori Aiunist i lit miles ahead. diil mil nutk; him even think llion- would ho ally sol oi the current. added witness. and !r did itoc a I tribute that sol to x I it* won thor. ■•Can you sn««e:*t any other cause I haw hoard from many source: of a current enminp round Irom oas ('a 1)0.” In ininvi'r to further (|uoslinns mi.i 11 *i ■t, witness said ho .had hoard o jiooiv ocean sols that, could not hi* lie conn led lor. It was tho peiteral opin ion of shipmasters that tiioro was al most a i 'iroitio sot ta tho west roundit ~,*■•. Tho most important thiup lu* { ,• Utlil say oil t lII* subjoin was t lint | Captain Harpeut had iiilormod him that.; ovoro ship from Panama invaiiabiy atrived in port (piito live I is ahead , ~f t_|io scheduled lime. That, was that. I alter* luiviiip wirelessed the probalilo i time 111 arrival, they invariably pot in I earlv. Tho snood ol the ship. slated : I*., aitnoss. was about PJ.I knots in . tho a.ft ifno.'in and early in the oven- < inp of May dlst. Ho was not aware, that the ship had doll*.' Pi knots that n*o* map. She had done Pi knots he- ; fore that. IT there was a sot behind j him the 100 would not rcoord it* I' 1 ’ i t „„l.* the .'evolution of the lop to re- , cord tho ship’s* speed. In the lipid ol v | ; at had happened he had worked out* the shin’s speed aooordinp In the events. Il came to I- " knots. PeI'ore that he had allowed not limp tin 1t.,, *. in*i a- it was lip! it until late m tlie ev'rinp. He took what he though! V re o-u'iarv preeantioiis in apprnneh jap Cuvier Island. Tie* ship’s speed rawed 1 reriileiitly, aeeoi dine to He* lit.. of iiial and working. His ship was a heavy consumption ship. At lion reaehmp the termination id a voyape, . „*,,,*(. fr 'ipietd.l*. hitrninp scrappin *s r.ml ruhhish. He took no othei ..recantion to ascertain the ship’s speed lhavi tn look at the patent lop and its

rev lutions. , OTHER WITNESSES. i Cantaiu P’owniau of the Katoa. said j that when approaching Auckland on Mondav, he experienced a set carrying him east and north. He was compelled twice to alter his to , s ( .i iis . to Cuvier. - He bad known Cuvier' so obscured in thick weather as t <; tv haredv visible three miles away. 'Captain Davy, of the Xavna, said be had s.nue'imes experienced a set when approaching the gulf after a week ol easterlies. He would ecrlamly expect, ~ ..ei to westward. East Sunday he diseev'-cd himself ten mile- out owing I ,1.- K oause. 'l'he visibility of Cliv- :„ „.. IS !,, IV in thick weather. He tp, j ... passed wiMiin a mil" without seeing the light. ... Mr Cnddard. chief officer ol toe \.iltsbire, generally corroborated Captain I iavward. Me bad t urned in helore slid ing, as he bad no misgivings regarding the position. THE EVIDENCE CT.HSED. AFCKT.AND. June 22. On the resumption of the W dtslurc eapuirv. Mr Meredith stated be Inn consulted ( apt, Hayward, who lmd not been present earlier in the morntm and was under m-diral attention Hn> ward bad stated be was satisfied to let the matter stand at the issues indieat ed by "Mr Cutteii. Counsel said lu would not rail any more evidence am } red if the Court desired anyoru * put, in the witness box,