MANUKA ENQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 9 January 1930, Page 5

MANUKA ENQUIRY

FURTHER EVIDENCE. (By Telegraph— Press Association). DUNEDIN, January 8. At the Manuka inquiry, George Alfred Marks, master mariner, of Dunedin, said that he had spent 40 or 30 vi.irs at sea, and had been sailing along the coast until lie was 74. For 15 or 20 years lie had sailed between Bluff and Dunedin about, twice a week, in both steamers and sailing ships. He had generally found a set to run from Waipapa Point along the coast to the mouth of the Molyneux, and then northeast. There might be a set in tlu> reverse direction off shore, but be had never known of it. He had usually sailed a mile or a mile and a quarter off shore, but often closer in. He knew the coast very well. He could say nothing about the set of the current four or five miles out, and he had alwavs sailed close in.

Harry John Treurn, stevedore, stated that he held a master mariner’s certificate, and that he had been for 30 years at sea. He had sailed between Bluff and Dunedin for eight consecutive years,’ from 1907 making about 45 trips a year. His experience was that from 'Flic Brothers there was a set to northeast, but very slight. From Chaslaiuls the set was' stronger. The set was not always present. His vessel had once been about five mile off Chaslands for 27 hours with a fractured tail shaft, and its position had not altered a mile. He had never known of a set nshore. He usually sailed from half a mile to two miles off shore, and he was speaking from his experience within those limits. DUNEDIN, January 8.

At the Manuka inquiry this afternoon. Mr Adams said that it was not’ at all satisfactory that there should be an absence of evidence from the Manuka’s passengers. He was not aware of anv relevant information, but it seemed that there should be some further evidence available in regard to the visibility. He thought that it was his duty to call attenion to the fact and he would ask’ for an opportunity to obtain information. That would mean an adjournament of the inquiry and he regretted having to ask for it. He believed, however, that if evidence could be obtained, it should be placed before the Court.

Mr Bundle, S.M., asked whether the Crown had considered the question of obtaining evidence from persons in the locality, either on sea or on land. Air Adams said that question, had lie thought, been considered ,but he feared that it was not possible to get anybody who could give evidence of that kind.

Mr Hanlon (for Captain Ross Clark): I strongly object to an adjournment on the grounds that the wreck took place on December 16, and that the Crown, with every means at hand to make inquiries' and get witnesses had not done so. It was not fair that these people should be brought back to suit the Crown. Mr Adams knows that the Kaiwarra went down the coast next day, and experienced the same set.

Mr Bundle stated that the opinion of the Court was that the fullest information should be obtained, it was clear that there might be some hard' ship on the officers concerned, but the evidence had disclosed the loss of the chart and of the engine room log book, and the Court should hesitate before closing the avenues of information, It would grant a reasonable adjournment. On bring asked what adjournment he would requ re. Mr Adams statedj that he thought that a week or ten days would be a reasonable time. Mr Bundle: “Have you taken steps to get in touii with passengers?” Mr Adams: “ Not so far. I returned to Duned.n only on the morning that the inquiry began.”' Mr Hanlon: “A whole theatrical company has been here for weeks. There are also others, and they have never been interviewed. I propose to ask that, if an adjournment is granted, the Crown should be ordered to pay costs.”

Mr Bundle: The question of costs will certanly be reserved.

Mr Hanlon: “But should it be reserved sir? Should it not be intimated that the Crown must pay the costs?’

Mr Bundle: The Court proposes to grant an adjournment until Tuesday afternoon.

After stating that it was possible that Mr Adams would have obtained some evidence in the morning Mr Bundle suggested, that should be an adjournment until 2 o’clock tomorrow afternoon.

Mr Hanlon: “That seems reasonable but my friend, with bis few days, is a bit hot! It is a. question of funds. We haven’t the money behind us that the Crown has. It is playing with public funds.”

Mr Hanlon then suggested that the Court ndjorn until to-morrow morning. He would be prepared to call evidence, in spite of the fact that tho Crown had not completed its case. If it desired to call evidence in the afternoon, it could do so. Counsel could also address the Court in the afternoon, and the inqury could be completed in the evening. Mr A dins suggested that the passengers who were in the Court should remain behind. His Worship then made a request that they should do so. The Court then adjourned until tomorrow morning. PASSENGERS EVIDENCE. DUNEDIN, Jan. 9. The Manuka inquiry was resumed this morning, when evidence of passengers was taken.

Franklin Wood Duncan said he did not take much notice of visibility, but when in the lifeboat the rowers had to pull bard all night against the current to keep the boat off shore. There were six men rowing and when morning came they were only some three hundred yards from the Manuka. He thought all the • passengers would agree that it was due not to luck, but to the skill of the C.iptain that they were alive to-day. The Captain did all that any man could to save the pnssciigcis and new.

Patrick Herbert (ex-Cinef Detective) stated when lie cumo on deck lie saw what looked like a thick black inaiss of oil smoke, which he now realised was land. In the lifeboat the visibility seemed good. \\ itness ’•paid a warm tribute to the conduct of the stewards, but complained that the Union Company might have sent a small boat to collect the passengers valuables.

The .Magistrate said this was quite outside the enquiry’s scope. M.vrley Birch, an actor of New York, said alter striking he looked over the side and saw what lie thought were very black clouds. Afterwards, when the fog cleared he saw it was land. He left the Manuka in the last boat. The rocks were more visible then. The fog over the land was intermittent and cloudlike. The current to the westerly was strong and they had all they could do to keen off-shore.

The work of the officers and crew for the safety of the passengers was the most marvellous tiling lie had( ever seen. Everything was handled' with superb coolness and calm. Reginald Roberts, an actor, said after she struck lie could see about fifty feet of cliff. A thick grey fog obscured the rest from a height, say equal to that of the ship’s bridge. It would not be possible to see the headland from a quarter of a mile while the fog was on, but from the bow of the boat they would probably see the cliff as she got oil to it. Richard Galbraith, civil engineer, said after they left the ship, they rowed away from it and then rested oil the oars. The boat drifted inshore and ahead of the wreck.

Roy Stanley, principal lighthouse keeper at Nuggets, said there was a thick fog at Nuggets on the night of the mishap, visibility was only, one hundred yards. Fishermen told him that in easterly weather they did not fish off Long. Point, owing to an inshore set.

Mr Hanlon then asked, what charge he was supposed to meet. Mr Allan’s replied that lie would make a 'charge in accordance with the questions he had asked at the beginning of the inquiry. Captain Corby, of the steamer Kaiwarra, which went to the Manuka’s assistance, said on the trip down he found himself a mile to a mile' and a half inside I)is set course, and on the return trip lie found himself iv a run of forty-two miles, five miles inside his course. He could only attribute that to a strong inshore set. Captain McLean (Harbourmaster at Dunedin) said he went to the wreck in the tug Dunedin. He set a course for a mile off Nuggets. Had lie continued, lie would have finished in the bay to the north of Nuggets. After leaving Long Point, on the return, in a run of two miles the tug was set inshore half a mile. He then set a course outside, and did not feel the current so much after passing Cosgrovo Island.