STRANDING OF THE TAVIUNI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 117, 8 May 1908, Page 2

STRANDING OF THE TAVIUNI.

CAPTAIN GUILTY OF NEGLIGENCE. Per Press Association. Westport, Last Night. The Nautical Court, in giving judgment in the Taviuni stranding case this .'morning, said it came to the conclusion that the cause of the casualty was the negligent navigation of the master, Jas. Bropliy. The reasons for the finding were that the vessel, well found and manned, and seeking anchorage with the signal against her, practically, to put it bluntly, was driven ashore at full speed (because the Court preferred to rely on the evidence of the second engineer as to the time he recorded the orders), a few hundred yards from a well-lighted port, with unknown dangers, on a night which, on the captain's own admission, was not dirty but merely dark and squally, with mists hanging over the land. This, in itself, seemed negligence of some kind, and when the circumstances were further inquired into, it is found that the captain, knowing the signal was against him, knowing that the night was not clear and that mist was hanging over the shore, runs on with his vessel with the intention of doing so until he can pick up the red light on the end of the tiphead, which would only be seen at a comparatively short distance off in misty weather, without taking the simple, and as the Court held, proper and necessary precautions, of taking his bearing by the Cape Foulwind nnd harbor lights, or using the lead. Other masters might not take those precautions, but the Court considered it wouid lie wrong, even indirectly, to countenance any lowering of the standard, where life and property were concerned. The captain's certificate was suspended for three months, and he was ordered to pay the cost of the enquiry, i.O> Ms. The Court found that after the accident, proper steps were taken to protect and preserve the passengers, crew, mail and cargo; that the life-sav-ing appbances and signalling apparatus on the ship were in first-class order. The red sector on the Cape Foulwind light was a good one, but not absolutely necessary. No blame was attached to the other officers.

Wellington, Last Night. The Union Company's tug boat 'l'crawhiti, which has had a couple of un■successful attempts to tow the stranded Taviuni off the beach, arrived back in port this morning from Westport. The staunch little vessel accomplished a smart run up of 20 hours, averaging I about 11% knots. It is reported that another attempt will be made to re* float the Taviuni at the time of the next spring tides. The steamer is hard and fast embedded in seven or eight [ feet of sand. There is eveidence, however, of the sand clearing sliffhtlv fore and aft of the hull.