ROADSTEAD COLLISION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 119, 18 April 1940, Page 8

ROADSTEAD COLLISION.

EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY. Per Press Association. NAPIER, April 16. Air J. Aliller, S.AI., and Captains H. Worrall and G. AVilliamson sat as a board of inquiry into the collision in tho Aliuriri roadstead on January 31 last of the lighter Koutunui and the explosive vessel Aliro. Mr J. H. Prendeville appeared for the Marine Department, Mr L. W. Willis for the owners of the Koutunui, Captain McNab and Mr A. H. Cooper (Auckland) for the owners of the Aliro, and Captain Alonaghan and Air G. B. Amyes for the Harbour Board. Captain Haroldson, of the Koau, said the lights on the Aliro were fairly dull and difficult to pick up on account of the background. The Aliro was not anchored in a safe position. Captain McLachlan (harbourmaster) said the Aliro could not anchor within a mile of the shore. She was to have berthed, but did not answer the signal. The Aliro appeared safe where she was. It was blowing half a gale. Had a proper look-out been kept there would have been no danger. Captain McNab, of the Koutunui, said that he first saw the lighted mast of the Aliro 120 ft away. Up till then he had only seen a white light, which lie thought was on a launch going into the port. He tried to avoid a collision, but failed. Ho was doing knots. Had the Aliro’s lights been set properly, he could not have missed them.