THE OPOURI WRECK.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1917, Page 2

THE OPOURI WRECK.

VERDICT OF COURT OF INQUIRY. ACCIDENT DUE TO iSTEEiRING GEAR BREAKING.

Greymouth, -Sept. 10. t An mquiry into the Opouri wreck inside Uie entrance of Grey River, on September 3, was held to-day, before Magistrate T. Hutchinson. With him assessors were Captains Lobb and Crawford, and E. P. Turner, of Christchureh. Captain Cox, master of the vessel, in his evidence, said at 11 o'clock he received a Morse message, "Come in on -headwind." Twenty minutes later, when about halfway between the end of the southern breakwater and the Signal Station, the vessel sheered to port, and, instead of answering her helm, the vessel faid off and struck the inner northern wall. He ordered full-speed to straighten up the vessel, and ordered the mate to let go the anchors, but there was only time to let go the port anchor. From the time the ship sheered till she struck was only a few seconds. He heard nothing to lead him to form ti conclusion as to the cause of the accident. After he left the bridge he learned that the starboard steering .geer had carried away. The second mate was on the bridge with him. The steering, gear was last inspected by the Government, surveyor in January. Witness inspected the same at sea on Monday morning. The Court) examined -the gear, Captain Turner remarking that it was not stripped; it ,vas absolutely rusted away. The first and second mates gav# evidence, the latter stating thp.t he heard no sound to indicate tiiat anything was wrong with the steeling gear, Mr. MeKenzie, local inspector of machinery, said he inspected the boat' and the steering gear since the mishap, and found everything in good order except the union screw connecting the gear. The screw 'would, on appearance, have satisfied him. He opened the screw, which had been elaek ever since designed, Questioned by the chairman, witness said the fault -voiild be easily overlooked. Tho whole thing was a bad design. His theory was that the accident was due to the screw breaking owing to the heavy strain.

Considerable evidence was token. The captain, re-called, =aid the Opouri's back was now broken, and there wag absolutely no chance of reffoating her. At the conclusion of the evidence the chairman said the answers to the questions submitted to the Court was that the stranding of the vessel was wholly due to the parting of the starboard steering gear. Tho stranding of the vessel was not due in any measure to anywrongful act or default of the master or any officer of the vessel. We think that the steering gear having been surveyed and passed by Lloyd,'s surveyor and the Government surveyor six months ago, the master was entitled to rely upon that survey ag showing the steering gear was then efficient. Wo think tho steering gear ought, nevertheless, to have been inspected thereafter at each terminal port by the deck officers of tho vessel, to ascertain that it continued tO:be in an efficient state, but in view of the evidence we do not think the omission to do so can be imputed as such wrongful default as to justify the Court in cancelling or suspending the certificate of the master or mate or engineer. The certificates are returned. We make no order as to costs.