MANAIA ENQUIRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1926, Page 3

MANAIA ENQUIRY.

BY TELEOIUVn —PRESS ASSN., COPYUIGBT

AUCKLAND, .Tunc 25. The Nautical Court opened an enquiry into the loss ol‘ the steamer Man ain at Slipper Island on the night of June 10th. The Court comprised MI- Cut ton S.M., Captains Smith and Lane, assessors.

Capt. Norbury, in his evidence, said ho had been a master in the Northern Steamship Company for forty years, and was well familiar with the Tnuranga. run. On the night of June 10th the weather was fairly clear, although there was a rainstorm before be left Tauranga at 7.•’>(). lie shaped bis course when about a mile and a half clear ol'Karewha Rocks, which he could see quite clearly. Me. set the com sc west bv north, a. quarter north. The Manain. had a list to port, and with the port pro pel lor working more than the starboard, he estimated the steamer would make at least a quarter of a point to starboard, which should have taken him a good three miles off Slipper Island. The course set was the same as on the previous trip in much the same weather. On the last trip the visnhility was good lxitwecn the rain squalls. After the course was set, he left the third mate, (J. Hare) in charge of the bridge while he went to his room. The usual instructions welt? given to give all head lands one mile clearance, etc. He told the third mate to call him at 11. To p.m. when lie expected Slipper tO ( he four or five miles to the south. When hi? went hack on the bridge it was raining hard. He asked the third mate had it- been raining all along and he replied: “No, only passing squalls.” Asked had he seen anything, and he replied: “Yes, there’s the Slipper.” The witness saw land about a’ mile off. Their’s would have been a perfectly safe position had it l>een Slipper, flic mate then said : “There’s land ahead,” and almost immediately the Manain. crashed on to the reef.. It was then 11.32 p.m. Captain Norbury, continuing, said he thought he should have lieen called earlier, considering that the mate had seen nothing. Not to see anything which should have been seen ought to

indicate that the ship was off her course. Mayor Island had been seen six and a half miles away, so the visibility after passing the mark must have lessened considerably. “I should have, been called when Slipper Island was not in sight when it should have been, said Captain Norbury, “but, of course, I was called at the time I asked to be. 11.15 o’clock. If I bad known the Slipper was not- in sight at 11 o’clock, T would have hauled out.” Mr Meredith : “ Did you leave it to the mate to nidge as to whether he should call von when the Slipper was not in Vght when it should have beenp , * “He had the chart before lie left Tanranoa. He had the lvglit orders, which were to call the master when in nnv doubt.” Frederick Green Shirley. Clnef Officer of the Manaia. said lie was not on duty on the night of the wreck. He said he knew, from information received since the wreck, that there was the

very strong set toward the land in the vicinity of the afternoon and the evening of the wreck. The set must have been abnormal. Under ordinary circumstances, tbe course set would have been perfectly safe. John Hare, Third Mato of the Manana, said that this was his first voyage on the Auckland-Tauranga run. He know when the vessel was expected to clear Slipper Island, and he expected to flick it up any time round eleven o’clock. The log was read at 11.10, arid lie judged that the vessel was then four miles from Slipper. AH Meredith: “When the boat did not pick up Slipper Island at eleven you should have sent for the master.” Witness: “J did not see any necessity for that.” Witness added that he was never in doubt, and the squall did not commence until a minute or two betore it was time to call tbe captain. The only thing he could put the wreck down to was an abnormal set inshore. Captain McDonald, of the Northern Coy’s Motu. gave evidence as to experiencing a strong set inshore when heading for the direction of a rocket sent up by the Mnnaia. The inquiry adjourned till Monday.