THE FERRY DISASTER

Hokitika Guardian, 8 February 1928, Page 2

THE FERRY DISASTER

TAHITI OFFICERS NET LICENCE. STRONCLY COMMENTED UPON. (.Australian A N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY. Feb. 7. The Coroner's inquiry into the-death of the victims of the Grevel tile- Tahiti collision, which has lasted twenty-five days, has been concluded. The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death, said that there wanegligence on the part ol those ro-pon-sihle for the careful and proper navigation of the Tahiti, in exceeding the speed limit allowed hv law and in not. as the overtaking vessel, taking the required necessary precaution to keep out of the way of a vessel being overtaken. There was contributory negligence by the officer navigating the Greveliffe in not taking the required

necessary precaution to ascertain before altering the course, or at the moment when he discovered liis vessel's course was altering, as the case may he whether or not he was being overtaken by another vessel. These acts do not in law amount, under the whole circumstances, to criminal negligence. The Coroner then referred to the unsatisfactory nature of the evidence given by the Captain of the Tahiti, and commented on the fact that the Tahiti left the harbour without giving any intimation to the police of such intont ion.

The Coroner added that he had come to the billowing conclusions : - (V) That at the time of the collision the Tahiti had attained a speed of about twelve knots bomb. The starhoarding of her helm and reversing ot her port engine, when it was discovered that, the Gre.vcliffo was altering her course to port, probably made no substantial change in her course or the speed of the Tahiti up to the moment of tile colli),on. The 15 reveliffe took mi fisi an tial ly her usual course when leaving Garden Island, steaming lor

approximate!) the same point that the Tahiti was heading tor, and attaining a speed of about tone knots hourly. Her course was 1 altered to port t<> the extent of from a point to a poitd and a half at the moment when the Tahiti was about three hundred feet astern of her. and when their courses were about two hundred feet apart. Whether the orevelifi'e’s alteration of course was due to the voluntary act of the ferry’s helmsman, or pei'lormed by him unconsciously through habit developed by years of practice. the Coroner was unable to say. If I lie chains of the steering gear of 'll" ferry were so slack as to allow such

a decided falling away in the course, which he doubted, greater rare should have been exercised in seeing that they w ere kept sat Kl'actorily adjusted. If the how wave repulsion created by the Tahiti influenced the movement at all. it was not until the stage had been reached when a collision was unavoidable. Although the Tahiti followed approximately the proper course for outward-hound sea-going vessels, she, at the time of collision, was considerably exceeding the speed limit allowed by the Sydney Harbour Trust regulations, namely, eight knots hourly. Those whose duly it was safely to navigate the Tahiti failed to delect. the close proximity of the (■rcyclilfe. Although their courses were only slightly Converging, they would i)it a comparatively slight alteration of

the course of either, lead to tin unavoidable collision, owing to their re-

lative positions and speeds, as the scene of the disaster was approaching. The GreveliHe’s navigating officer was apparently content that while all was clear ahead, there was no neces-

sity for hint to ascertain, when lie noticed his vessel alter her course slightly to port. whether lie was being oxertaken by another vessel, and probably he was nut a lit iripal itig such a contingency. in view of the speed which his own vessel was travelling. lb* failed to exercise the precautions re-

quirril by t.lie regulations for preventing collisions at sea. I bat is, lie should keep a proper look-out; and thus the position was created which those navigating the Tahiti had iailcil.

as the overtaking vessel, to guard against. To complete the unfortunate set of cii'i'liinslances that led to the disaster, it appears that the lorry altered iis course to port at an earlier stage than usual, whereas if the alteration had been delayed lor a lurthcr minute, or a minute and a half, the Tahiti would probably have come into view on her port side. This lad. however, il one ol the contributing causes of the collision, does not absolve the officers responsible for the Tahiti, further than that the pilot in charge, who was no doubt well acquainted with the usual movements of ferry steamers plying Between Garden Island and Neilson Park, may not have anticipated that the Greyclifi'e's course would alter until a later stage of her journey. The Coroner added that other matters which he felt, in the tjublic interest, should he mentioned, were the unsatisfactory nature of the evidence given by the .Master of the Tahiti, more particularly his attempt to lead the Court to believe that the statement taken from him by

the New Zealand police was obtained by threats, and made under compulsion. which, in view of the circumstances under which the statement was taken, be (the Coroner) regretted to say he could not believe, and was unable to attribute it to unconscious bias. The Coroner continued: He should mention also the fact that whilst the work of rescue and recovery ol the bodies was still in progress, and me attention of the jrolice was tally occupied with that work, the laliiti left the Harbour in continuation of her voyage to New Zealand, wiui ut an inquiry being made as to whether, in the interests of justice, the police wished to obtain statements from those aboard her. and without any intimation to the police that she was then leaving. PILOT CARSON'S REPUTATION. SYDNEY. Feh. 7. Sea and Harbour pilots have written to the State Superintendent ot Navigation. desiring that the high esteem in which Pilot Carson is held by every member of the Service should be placed on record, and brought to the notice of the Treasurer.