HAWEA WRECK INQUIRY.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 275, 23 June 1888, Page 5

HAWEA WRECK INQUIRY.

Wellington, June 20. The magisterial inquiry, into the wreck of the steamer Hawea ab New Plymouth wai commenced to day before the Resident Magistrate, and Captains Robertson and Fraeer, nautical assessors. Captain Hansby was examined afc length, bufc no new facts were elicited. He attributed the cause of the wreck either to the vessel striking the ground, or the strength of the wind on the starboard beam. He might hare come the same course fifty times | before. The tendency of going ahead after lebbing go his second anchor would certainly nob be to override the anchor ; in fact, it would be a matter of impossibility to do so, as the wind, tide, and helm were against it. When once the vessel began to make water ifc came in vei*y rapidly, but all aft. Twenty minutes or half an hour after she struck there was eight feet of water in the after hold. He considered that it would have been useless to pub the engines to work afbor .she februck. If he had done so, he would probably have lost all the blades of his propeller ; as he considered that if there was one small rock inbhe vicinity, there would probably be others. As he had only ninety feet of chain out under the \ easel's btern, ifc would be a mathematical impossibility for her to override her anchor. Witness was anxious for a diver to make an examination of the spot where the Hawea struck, but the weather had been too bad to permit of it during his stay there and the Company's agent had since decided not to have an examination made without the authority of the Company on the score of incurring expense. William Waller, chief officer, corroborated the evidence of the captain. Captain Holford, Harbourmaster of New Plymouth, was also examined. Mr Bell, who appearded for the Customs, intimated that it was his intention to call direct evidence that the vessel had struck upon her own cinchor, and asked for an adjournment until Monday, which was granted.