MARINE INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 255, 30 October 1901, Page 2

MARINE INQUIRY.

PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. Wellington. October 29. An inquiry io'o the striking of the steamer Pohf-rua, between the Tower Rocks and C»pe Stevens on the 15th inst\, was held to-day before Mr Haselden, S.M., and Captains Kidley and Smith, assessors.

Charles Adams, captiin of the Poheruv gave evidence thai he left Lytteltcn for West port oq the After passing Cape Campbell be steered a course to clear Jag Rok. The weather became hizy, and he decided to take the pissage between Cape Stevens and Stephen Island. He fail-d to pick up the Tower Rck, but could see the capo, He ordered the engineer to "stand by" and then to go "slow ahead." Next he tiw the rock and went full speed aheid wit.b the helm hard aport. Tbe ship answered slowly and touched slightly along the port bilge. She fl meed off in three hours, and, ,he ciina on to Wellington. He atjpbuteJ the accident to a stroDg ebiM.de. The passage »as usually tikenf.y, Xfoioa bound for the Wef Coejt. He had been thirty eight yq ca at fea, twentyseven as master, anJ had never hid an accident bsfore. ' Confirmatory evidence we{% given by the recoad officer, The Oaqrc decided that Captain Adams pursued the usual cmrse for vessels of the Pohei ua class, The. e was an f-xtra haaavd in taking the channel icgide Stephen Jsland on a foggy afternoon, but the (hart did »,oc find him guilty of negligence, as under the Oircumstanc s the set of the tide and the fog comltimd to bring absut a situation whio®he master took the only possible court) to retrieve. was justified in taHng the passage, and the fog came on vhen he was in a position in which iL would have been more hazardous tAal'er the course i than to pursue it. ■ I No order wu buA as to cos's, and thgmaater's ww wtarp»ft l