RIPPLE ENQUIRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 September 1924, Page 1

RIPPLE ENQUIRY.

IJY TICLKGHAFII —I‘IIESS ASSN., COl’YUlcnT. KVIDKNCK OK SKA.MKX. WKLLINCITON, Soj.t. 17 The .Magisterial ini|tiiry into the hiss ol the Hippie was continued today. Horace Haldwiu, shiji’s surveyor, said that tin* Hippie’s boilers were i'i years old. There was a defect in her furnaces in December, witich was remedied. Kilward Henson, ioreman, who left the steamer the day before she sailed, said that he loithl find no fault with her. He did not wish to -ail in a better hunt, lie bail never in n period of nine years on and off the Hippie, known any I rouble with the engines anil boilers, except a leak in the combustion chamber. Janies Henderson, lormorly on the Hippie, said that she was a splendid sea boat anil excellently loiiml. He had about seven years’ service on her and there had never been a breakdown. She carried sails, hut these were not often u-cd. II cu the day she sailed. Hie cargo was in proper trim, and loaded within IS inches ol the load line, she would he light, hutin a good sea trim. Captain I’eter IVtersen, Wellington, representative of the owners of the

IJii•!.!• •, said that sin* was ;i lull ship nil tin- diiy sln_* sailed. lie detailed enquiries mad' iilinul lln* Hippie, nltoi rooei; inn; :i tnessap' licit she was in ill, in'.". Alter consultin'' tin* I'.S.S. Cumpany’s officers, it was deciiletl licit ihe only tliino that could lie done whs to divert the M:tr;iro;i. lie then telephoned the mannt'or of his Coltlp;my, til Napier. askino him In area up' for assistance from there, and was advised that the Iratvlin-' company’s Futurist, then in Wellington, was available to do anything: she could. Witness detailed the measures taken to equip the Futurist with towin;' material. Ihe l nion ( ompany suggested sending out the Kaitoke hut her search proved in vain. Ihe I'ut m ist also failed to see the Hippie. Witness detailed the efforts to com u'unieale with all vessels in the vicinity. I’etei'seii declared that he did all he could and the Company had done the same. No vessel in Wellington harbour could have reached I’alliser sooner than the Mararoa from where the w ireless message reached her. 'I here was nothing in his conversation with Captain Xorliug, or tin' Chiel Ollicer, al.iMil jiniii;* to soil. WFI.MN'CTO.V. Sept. 17. At the liipple inquiry. Frederick Charles Howell. Assistant Secretary to the Seamen's I'uioii. called by Mr You lie. stated that he was alongside the Hippie on (ith. between 1 and L’.l.i o’clock, and he noticed that the vessel had a list ol Irom S to 1A decrees. Later the list appeared to be more pronounced. Some person who was present at the time drew his attention to the li't. but la 1 did tail lake much notice of it. lb' said to the person in question that when the remainder of the carpi Inal been loaded, tlie ves-el would adjust itself. I'uder ctoss-examination. witness stated that he did not consider there urn a ll v danp*r or he would have wattled the'crew.' This concluded the evidence. Mr Young expressed his desire to address the Court, but the Iteneh staled that I hov had heard all the evidence that was available, and did not w I-h to hear addresses on the matter. 'l 1,,, ui'pii* i was adionrued lor Ihe decision ol the bench, which will lie delivered on Saturday-