PROGRESS INQUIRY

Hokitika Guardian, 25 May 1931, Page 5

PROGRESS INQUIRY

STATEMENTS BY COUNSEL.

(liy Telegraph—'Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 20. The Progress Inquiry was resumed to-day. y, Captain Copland was recalled and answering Captain .WorraU said % that when the Opawa went , past, the conditions ■ were almost; perfect -for towing. He could see no , risk in the Opawa towing him. He had no thought of . the cost at that :stage.' He onlywanted to get to port as soon as possible. ■ 1 :

Air iPrenderville, for the Marine Department, submitted a syries ,of.; questions, for the Court to answer regarding the cause of the mishap. Mr Watson submitted that there was not a tittle of evidence, that there could have been a causte or connection between the mishap, •in Wanganui river and the breaking down of the Progress in Cook Strait. Mr Mazengarb said the reason why the Marine Engineers Institute had sought representation at the inquiry, was on account of.a rumdur that the. accident in Cook Strait was due to ah incident at Wanganui, and the interests he represented felt that the. stranding should and could have been avoided if proper steps had been taken. He felt Captain Copland had erred, in not accepting a tow, or offer or me Arahura to standby until the tug came. Mr Hay, for relatives of the deceased seamen and fireimen of the Progress. said it was with regret that he had to submit on their, behalf that there was definite evidence that there had been some negligence’on the part of Captain Copland. H© contended there, was a grave failure of duty on the part of the Master of the Toia to carrv out the instructions he received

on going to sea. : o Mr Walsh, for the Seamens Union said he considered the time it took to get the Toia out to the Proress, wa h far in excess of what it should have been. It was the Union’s opinion that the Toia was undermanned and that her handling was unseamanlike.