Trouble at the Port.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 194, 20 August 1904, Page 2

Trouble at the Port.

ENTEItIN® AGAINST THE MASTEK'S SIGNALBi TIIE IiARAWA IN A HOWLING (xALE, At the meeting of the llailxnir Board yesterday Captain Hood's report ol' August Ist was read as follows "I beg to rcport ( in accordance with the resolution pasoed liy your hoard on August 15th, 11)02, on a shipmaster coming in aguinst the harbour Hignal. morning the Haruwa arrived 0 11 the breakwater at 4 o'clock, I gavo instructions by night signals for t'ivo sU>anier to wail, owing to a very lieavy northoast gale and high sea running into the harbour, but tho captain (brought in Ilia sjiip u,gainst the signals u t his own i.isk, and we liad consikUimble difficulty in m o oring the Ku,awa. I may stale that the L'orinia arrived oil the breakwater at noon yesterday, but the weather l>eing food and the signs of a gale increasing, I signalled to the cuptain to wait, and tho Corinna is still at sea at time of writing, it not 'being prudent to berth her."

Under date August li)th the harbourmaster reported "Again I have to report that the master of the Harawa brought his vessel into tlio hurt>oui' against danger signals given to him to "wait lor daylight." At about 3.30 a.m. I gave orders to show the danger signals owing to a heavy north-we»t gale and very high seas breaking across the entrance. The Karawu : entered the harbour at very great risk to life arid projierty. Just, at the same time the schooner Bravo broke away from her moorings. I at once called out to ttta master 0 f the ltarawa to keep off, lotting him know that 1 had a vessel adrift a tho harboui\ While I was attending the schooner .with tho whole of my staff the master of the Harawa sent a boat, ashore with second anld third ollicors ajnd a crew to take his lines to tho wharf. I instructed tihe second officer to tell the captain that 1 would try and moor his ship at daylight. The captain then started to land some of his passengers and luagage in one of the ship's boats, and after great dilliculty t«ey succeeded in getting tflie boat and passengers to the steps, my staff with tUe aid of lint's through a dangerous sea. The captain then placed the ltarawa on the north-west corner of tho \tlmrf, dong both the whurf and his ship severe damaigc. 1 protested against tho manner in which he was landing the passengers without gangway or gangway netting out,. At this timo the gale, had increased to hurricane 'orce. I informed tho captain that I could not moor his sliip at tho wharf. The vessel remaimjl at anchor, both alienors down,, and several of tho steamer's lines to the wharf. After the gale abated I moored the Haraw a at 0 o'clock thj same evening. 1 estimate the damage done to the board's property at £35, being for warps £3O, and facing piece

In answer t 0 the chairuiam, Ca|»llood said his estimate of damage covered both offences.

The Chairman asked tho harbourmaster to give the board the information that ho placed before tho works committee on Thursday. Captain Hood then gave details of tho ilainajgo, done in consequence of the steamer entering against the signals.

Tho Chairman said that the point of coining in aigainst .signals wus before the board in August, 1902. The board's solicitor on that occasion gave his opinion (produced) to tho afitect 'thiat by-law No, 10 covered the case. The opinion further said that the captain had no right to -ntes against adverse sigj*als. Tho by-law dealing with this and any similar occurrence says ; "Every '"aster of a ship shall, on all oc-' easions, when ordered by the harIjourmaster, do .whatever the harbourmaster, may consider necessary or expedient with a view to the safety and interest of the whole shipping and in consideration of the state of the weather, the crowded jOndition'ol the harbour, or any other circumstanced

In answer to Mr Foreman, Captain Hood said the practice was that when captains ignored the signals they accepted the risk. The Chairman thought Captain Norbury was liable for the amount of damage dono. 11l answer to Mi - Foreman, Mr King said that in case 01' a vessel being lost under such circumstances the insurance companies would not pay, and tl captain would be charged with manslaughter it loss of life occurred.

Mr McLean thought this a serious matter, and was further of opinion that tho board should prosecute tho captain or thy company, claiming substantial damages. • Tho Chairman asked on what MiMcLean would claim, ojwl for what damages. They could not prosecute for loss of dignity. Ho had inquir*d among seafaring men, and it seemed tih®t tho board could not keep the vessel o ut. .Neither could the harbourmaster. But thq bourd could not be held responsible for any damage or loss of life occasioned by such disregard of signals. lie agreod that Captain llood took the right action.

Mr Hornby asked if Captain Nurbury could b'o prosecuted for landing passengers without proper gangway and netting being provided. Captain Hood said that was a matter for the Collector of Customs or tho Marino Department. In t'lio present case many of the passengers were inconvenienced 1 , muny ladies being carried oil in «, fainting condition, and one la'dy lost u purs? containing £25,

Mr Ward said that doubtless many pufismgeiH thought Captuin Norbury was a "line fellow" for geltin# them ashore so promptly. He thought that the Northern Company, not the oaptain, should be written to.

Mr Dingle sa'id the company would m a ke a full inquiry into Che eiictmiitunces before paying tho damages claimed by the board. The Chairman said that was tho ■natter in a nutshell. It would then be for the harbourmaster to - substantiate his report or for the ship's master to provo Captain Hood in the wrong. Mr Price thought the harbourmaster's report should be forwarded to he Customs Department. The Chairman said that they could got it by asking for it. The board decided to call the atnttention of the Northern Steamship Company to the practice of Captain Norbury in entering the port against the signals, and that the company he asked to pay £3O dania£<*s done to the Hoard's property by this action on Captain Norburv's part. Several members of tihe Hoard subsequently express**! their fullest confidence in the judgment of the harbourmaster.