MANUKA ENQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 8 January 1930, Page 5

MANUKA ENQUIRY

THE CAPTAIN’S (EVIDENCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association). DUNEDIN, January 7. At the Manuka inquiry. Captain Ross Clark in reply to -Mr Hanlon, said that his chart had boon corrected in writing right up to date. The helmsmen mi duty were capable and reliable men. The officers under him were also capable, reliable, and sober men. It was the duty of the officer on watch to look at the compass to see if the helmsmen were steering the course set. When lie was on the bridge that night, he frequently looked at the compass to see that tne course was being maintained. 1 After leaving Bluff, he set the usual course adopted by him between Bluff and Waipapa. He had navigated the Manuka between Bluff and Dunedin ten to twelve times. After leaving Waipapa lie set the course unusally set for the night trip. In daytime, when his visibility was good,, he would set a course nearer to land. At night he usually set a course about six degrees further out. In his opinion, that left a reasonable and proper margin of safety. Having set those courses, lie had no reason to suspect danger, and he said that having regard to the (fact that the visibility was not less than one mile all round. He took two bearings at Waipapa. He carried the first hearing on to the second bearing to get a fix—tthe usual course in coatswise navigation. The coursese given the Court were undoubtedly those set on the wreck, and. had there been no outward agency, he should have maintained a course five miles from land. He could think of no internal agency that would cause the accident. He was satisfied that the courses were properly set, and were correctly steered He was thinking when the ship struck that he would pick up the Nuggets Light, and considering that he got a fixed position off Waipapa, he considered that to pass five miles off Long Point was a prudent, safe course. As he was runnig his courses parallel with the coast and not towards it, lie did not think it necessary to take soundings. The line of soundings in the chart were irregular. They ranged from twenty nine to fourty four fathams, biit there was nothing to show in Tautuku Bay whether the depths were more or less than those shown further out. There were no soundings less than four and a half miles from the centre of Tautuku Bay, and nothing nearer than two miles from Long Point. 1* or all that the chart showed, there might he deep water all the way from C'haslands to Long Point. Therefore, in his judgment. it was not necessary to take a sounding. He had never’ heard the

theory that the line of soundings near the coast was to be taken as a safety line. After the ship struck, everything was done that could be done to save the lives of those on his ship, and every life was saved. The visibiliity for those in the boats could not have been less than a mile and a half. The boats were using electric torches ns a means of keeping together. He was actually the last to leave the ship, but really five or six jumped together. He considered it prudent to wait until daylight to take the boats in, as they might have been dashed on the rocks. There was only one landing place in the vicinity, and that was the one whereat they landed, and it had to he found in daylight. From the time that lie reached the bridge, everything that lie could think of was done to try and save the ship. He thought that by stopping the port engine, the vessel would swing more quickly. He kept the starboard engine going astern till she struck hard. The vessel must have swung not less than three points, and probably more after the stopping of the port engine. They were not travelling in fog, although there was fog over the land.

To Mr Adams, witness could say that there was fog over Long Point, but he could not say whether there was fog over anv other part of the land. Witness said that he had been keeping outside the 40 fathoms soundings he° could not possibly have run on to the Point, assuming of course, that there were no soundings of forty fathoms within the line of the soundings on the chart. Evidence in corroboration of the captain’s statement was given by C. R Carlyon (Third Officer), and Alex Allen (First Officer), and the inquiry was adjourned till the followng morning.

FURTHER EVIDENCE. At the Manuka inquiry Captain Ross Clark said in reply to Mr Haggott that the vessel was absolutely sound and seaworthy. To Mr Stringer, he said that the vessel was in good trim for steering. To Mr Hanlon: He (Captain Clark) bad been on the coast as a master for eight years as an officer. For practically the whole time lie was master he had been trading between Dunedin and Bluff. He had never discovered any set, other than a northerly one, on the coast. After leaving Chaslands on the night of the wreck, he had no drink. As far as the officers were concerned there could be, too, no suggestion that they had any drink. The ship had two compasses, one on the bridge and one at the wheel. All care was taken, at convenient opportunities, to discover errors in the compasses. From his experience, he would say lie was justified in relying on the standard compass.

FURTHEJt EVIDENCE. DUNEDIN, Jan. 8. Tlic Manuka inquiry was resumed this morning. The Chid Engineer Edward Arthur Griifiths, said he had been two and a hall' years on the .Manuka and previously on her in. 1905. On the night ol' the wreck, in accordance with standing orders, revolutions were taken every hour. The average between nine and ten was 8*8.). At ten it was 8'). That would give an average sped of 121 knots to eight o’clock, and thirteen knots afterwards.

At 10.53 p.ni. an order, full astern, was received. He was in charge of the boat in which the ship's papers were put. The iboat swamped after leaving the ship. The passengers bailed and the\,japc!rsi were given secondary consideration, against the l'ear of the boat sinking. When the people were taken off that boat. lie felt round and recovered the bridge book floating in the water in the boat.

To Mr Hanlon: When the vessel struck all emergency precautions were taken down below. All the water tight doors wore closed. The Chief Engineer said the Captain took every step even at great risk of his own life, to get the passengers and crew safely away. When after tlie last boat had left, he was on deck, along which the waves were washing the Captain made a final review to see that no one was ■ still aboard. He then ordered witness to stand clear.'

Robert Moir, an able seaman,, said he was on duty as lookout man at the time of the wreck. A misty rain was coming down and he could . see about three miles in every direction. He saw no land or lights. Visibility became bad from nine o’clock onwards and then could see about a mile, perhaps two miles. He was right forward in the eyes of the shijp wlie,» he saw a black object on the port side and immediately shouted land ahead, and struck two (bells.

He stood on the forecastle and saw the vessel swinging to starboard just as she struck

In reply to the Chairman, he said the reason why he did not see land sooner may have been because the moon was shining through the clouds and may have (made visibility seem 'greater than it really was. Witness read the log while assisting to launch the boat. The reading was fifty-nine.

Charles Harwell, a helmsman, stated ho was at the wheel when she struck. From tlie wheelhouse lie could see nothing.

Caseliuse MacPhcrson, able-bodied seaman, said lie was at wheel till ten o’clock about the deck and after that saw banks of fog landwards but could not tell whether it was over the land or sea. He did not see the land till the ship struck.