NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1928, Page 3

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY.

| Bv Telegraph, Bor Pio-s Association.

WtXWXCiTON, Fch. 29. Sydney Chillies Anvils, seioml ollit <■ f (>r flu- Mil II II ni. detailed the move- I luotlls of till' two vessels, nod -mid the Tamabille was the mcTtiikiil" '! ■■ I > - ll! t lirough. and thole wa- no suggestion ot racing. The .thitiii"iniiii’s speed was normal. Robert Graham, second engineer ot the Maunganui, said the 100 showed that for four voyages to Sydney there had been practically no difference in the revolutions of the engines <>f tile Mnungntiui. Arthur Reich Hunt, company director. and passenger to Sydney on the .Manneanni. said he saw no danger at any time. • When the Tamahine went astern, the .Maunganui was I f lengths away. He hoard no comment at all. and there was nothing to he alarmed about. There was not the slightest chance of the ships colliding. The Maunganui. when the Tamahine turned across to go astern of her. was travelling too quickly for the 'lamahine to get near enough for a collision. David Milligan, merchant tailor, and lassenger on the Tamahine, said Ins ittention was forcibly drawn to the .hips’ position when the M.anngan.n .hot round and across the hows o| the I’amahine. The big ship kept rigid on, md it appeared to him that the lanm|,ine escaped collision by not name than L ,m width of the Court-room. The incident caused considerable alarm among the passengers, many of whom signed document protesting against the action ol the big ship. Witness admitted that, nautical men knew more of the distance and circumstances than a layman. The Tamahiim sounded three blasts when about U feet from the other ship, ‘f the hine had not slackened .-peed. there would have been a collision. I Imre seemed to him to he great consternation on hoard the Maunganui. It uas the Maunganui. not tlm 'lamahine. which swung round at right angles. C'vril Batchelor, with a plum vie" from the shore, said the Maunganu. was ahead all the time the lanmhm. passed astern, and there never nppm"'be any danger of a collision. Ihe Maunganui altered her course vei> gradually. ~ • ' The inquiry was adjourned to I ndue as. in view of Milligan's statement other passengers .night come forward. If not. - a decision _