GREYCLIFFE DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1928, Page 3

GREYCLIFFE DISASTER

(Australian A'- N.Z. Cable Association.). SYDNEY, Jan. 4. At tlie Groycliffe Inquiry, Mr Manning, Counsel for Sydney, said: If the Oreycliffe vas 1 be>ng overtaken, and if in addition, tlie lateral distance between the ships was much narrower 'than the Tahiti people had said, and if in addition to that, the Tahiti was travelling at a. speed of thirteen knots then those aboard the Tahiti could not lie treated merely as spectators of what had happened. They wore in the position of accomplices. AH the evidence as -to the changed course -of tho Greycliffe- came from the Tahiti, and fell to tlie ground, not on evidence of independent witness, but on the evidence of a witness from the Tahiti. Dr Brissenden, Counsel for Steamship Coy., addressing the Court, said: ■lf the case for the Greycliffe was correct, it amounted to a case of manslaughter. It amounted to a case ? almost of deliberate killing, against the Tahiti, hut the evidence showed that there were two skilled navigators, who had never previously had an accident, on the bridge of the Tahiti, and there no doubt that they were keeping a. careful lookout, and knew their course; while for some leason the master of the Greycliffe infailed to see the Tahiti after she left Garden Island. Both obedience to the regulations and careful seamans up demanded that he should have done In conclusion, Dr Brissenden asked the Court to tome to the conclusion that the collision was due to the master of the Greycliffe not keeping a good lookout, and in starboarding his helm.