GREYCLIFFE TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1927, Page 2

GREYCLIFFE TRAGEDY

COURT OF INQUIRY"

[Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.]

SYDNEY, Nov. 23

At the G revel iffe Inquiry, Frank Gibson, second officer of the Tahiti, gave evidence as to the movements of the Tahiti, similar to the previous witnesses. He said he saw the Greycliffo bearing in on the Tahiti, she haling changed her course three points to port. He heard the pilot give orders to stop port and stop starboard with full speed astern. Only a few seconds elapsed between the first and last orders. The Tahiti then swung towards Bradley’s Heads. 'lho impact occurred a few seconds after the Tahiti was put astern. YY 7 it ness thought the Tahiti was doing about eight or nine knots at the time of the collision, not more.

This closed the evidence for (the Union Company.

AYilliam Barnes, captain of the Grevel iffo, was the first witness for the Sydney Ferries Company. He deposed that when lie left the wharf lie gave the order “Full speed ahead,” as he had a clear run ahead. He found a slight difficulty in keeping the ferryboat on her course, as she had a slight inclination to swing, and he had to steady her. He was standing on the starboard side when lie heard two blasts. He looked over his shoulder, but did not see anything. Then he stepped across to the port side and saw the hows of the Tahiti right on his port quarter, a few feet away. As he stepped across to that side ho felt a wave hit his stern and swing him to port. He immediately stepped back to the wheel-house and pulled about two spokes of the port helm on her. Then the crash came. Porting his helm should have altered his direction to starboard, hut it did not take effect. After that the Greyeliffe swung rapidly round the hows on the Tahiti and went down. The Greyeliffe’s sliced under these conditions was between nine and ten knots. There was no alteration at all in her speed.

In reply to a question as to which side did lie decide it better to go before the impact, Barnes said: “To starboard,” and he gave her a port helm. He pulled the wheel to starboard and sbo never responded. Had she (Tone so the ship would have gone to starboard.

Asked what the source of the wave that caused him to alter the course, Barnes said: “From, the Tahiti. T suppose.” He absolutely denied the sup:p;<?stion "tluit ilie port window through which he looked was too dirty to see through. Ho. also gave a negative reply to a. question as to whether he had left the steering house after he departed from Garden Island AA’harf.

YA’itness admitted he knew nothing about charts. He steered by compass, and at night by the harbour lights. Barnes said all ferryboats were erratic in steering, but ilie Greyeliffe was not more erratic than others. He suggested the wave from the Tahiti threw him farther across the bows of the steamer. He would have been hit anyhow, hut the wave put him across at a greater angle. Ho could ’net have got away, hut he might have got a more glancing blow if there had been no wave.

Ylr Justice Campbell directed that a diver examine the locking gear and pi ii of the mdder in the Greyeliffe wreck.

Captain Barnes added: Ho was on his usual course which entailed a move to the north. After passing Bradley’s Head he had to contend with an ebb side- and a south wind, and a right-handed propeller which tended to pull the Greyeliffe to port. Frederick Jones, deck-hand on the Greyeliffe, gave, evidence that he saw Die Tahiti “coming at us at a tremendous speed. Then came the crash.’’ He estimated the steamer’s speed at fifteen knots.

Though the Greyeliffe wreck was brought close inshore, it still lies in 30ft. of water. Divers arc continuing to search for bodies of the missing.