BREACH OF HARBOR REGULATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XL, Issue 218, 5 September 1876, Page 2

BREACH OF HARBOR REGULATIONS

James Ferri.s, commander ofthe R M.S. Zaalanlu, was charged at Au_kla_d last week with a breach of ths harbor regulations by ..unlawfully molesting th_ chi_f pilot. of Auckland by refusing to obey his orders when taking the vessel out of harbor. Mr J. B. Ru.sel ha .ing opened the caee, the following witnesses were examined j— lsaac James Burgess, chief pilot of the province of Auckland, deposed : On the isth August he was requested by the defendant to come at 5 p.m and pilot bis veisel out of the harbor. In pursuant of that request he proceeded on board before the anchor was weighed. Captain Ferries was then on the budge, and wituess went .here too. He spoke t . defendant, but he did not answer, but gave the order to port the helm.' Witness eaid "Starboard the helm. Capt .in Ferries, I wish to cast the vessel's heal the other way" Th.eaptaiu paid no attention to witness, but gave th:* order " Go ahead." Wita^ss said, "It must either be you or ma, Captain. -Terries, that shall have charge." Ilia reply was thftt.-'he would never give In* yes-el in charge to any pilot." Witness said, "in that case my .occupation's gone," and left- -the bridge The vessel wai n,.t brought out the way he wished, knowing as he'did the slate ofthe tide.— To the defendant*. I did not come on board at the time you asked me to be on board,- I was a quarter of an hour hte. - I unierstood your manner to he offensive, being acquainted with your xnann_r when yon. were in charge of the Tartar. Captain Ferries deposed that on the day iv question he sent an officer for Captain Burgess, but that gentleman was not on fcoard. He then ordered the aochor to be pullei up. Tbe whistle was blown twice TheY anchor 'wa. hove np at a quarter p. st five, then Captain Burgees arrived. Hecime to him on- the bridge and asked to take ch.rge. He replied that he would straighten her up and then he should pilot her out. Captain Burgess then left the bridge, after stating that he should like her helm put another way and her head canted in anotaer direction. He knew that his proposition waa impossible with his steamer He swuug his ship, and cent en officer to Captain Burgees to say that she was now ready for him to pilot her out. He did not come on the bridge. Five minutes after Captain Burgess came upon tlie bridge and asked if he should pilot her then He said " certainly." Ue asked if he might control the action of the helm, and the speed of the ship. He agreed to that. Ihe ship went out of harbor, and ihe pilot left. [Captain Femes produced the official log, from which entries relating to the case were rtad 1 Fr*i.cis B. 'Thompson, chief officer, and Samuel Denton, third officer of the Zeilandia also gave evidence. His Worship considered the oilencfc had bean proved, and imposed upon ths defendant a Una of £5, and _£4 q% ed oat s.