THE WAIRAU INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1919, Page 5

THE WAIRAU INQUIRY.

CAPTAIN'S EVIDENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, October 10, ■ A magisterial inquiry was held today into the stranding of the smalt steamer Wairau on the Beef Barrels, French Pass. Captain Knox gave evidence that the ,niate, Richard M*Neilly, formerly of the Pateena, who had frequently hcen on the Wellington-Nelson run, was in charge of the Wairau when she struck. She floated off with the next rising tide. The repairs cost between £SO and £BO At the time she stranded the wind was blowing hard from the south-east. This and the tide would tend to take hei towards the rocks. He told the mate to keep in the. red sector of the French Pass light, but after she had- struck he found she was in the white sector, about dalf-a-milc off the set course. M'Neilly. under examination, said the only explanation he could give for the mishap was that the course had been altered while he was reading his notebook. The inquiry is proceeding. VERDICT OF THE COURT. ' Wellington, Last Night. Richard MeNeilly, mate d the Wairau, states he had been on the vessel about nine months. On the morning of September 12 he went on duty just before going through the French Pass. Tiie course given him by the master was S.W, by S. and he was told to keep in the ted section of the French Pass light, which was ahead for fully fifteen minutes after the captain left the bridge. The Okuri light was perfectly clear, Having the latter light to go by he took' no further notice of the red section in the other light. He was not sure of the course from Okuri light, so he took out his notebook to consult it in regard to the course notes which were taken on the previous trip, and he was reading them by the light of the compass. During (that time his attention was taken off the ship. On looking up he noticed he had left the Okuri light and on looking over the starboard bow he saw rocks. He ordered the engines hard astern, but he was too close to avert stranding. The vessel was heading S.S.W. when she struck. He had been through the Pass hundreds of times and had absolute confidence in taking charge of the ship. He did not consider it necessary for the captain to remain on deck. As. a rule masters only took their ships through the Narrows and then handed them over to the command of officers. William Thomas Dolden, an A.B. on the Wairau, stated that he went on duty at the wheel at 1.30 a.m. on September 12. The master gave him instructions regarding the course to follow to the Okuri light. When the mate took charge witness was told to keep the same course. The course was never altered until the vessel struck. lie could not understand how it was he got half a mile out of the course in four miles. From the time of leaving the French Pass he kept a direct course until the ship struck. . After considering the evidence the Court delivered its judgment as follows: The Court is of opinion that the casualty waa caused by the wrongful default 3 f the mate, Richard MeNeilly, in that (a) he failed .to keep the vessel iu the red section of the French Pass light, (h) he failed to keep the vessel on the course laid down by the master. These defaults of the mate were, in the opinion of the Court, the immediate cause of the casualty. The court desires to express the view that the master should, under the circumstances shown, have remained on the bridge until the vessel had cleared Piega rocks. The Court is of the opinion_that the defnult of the mate was a grave lapse, but as the injury done to the vessel was not a serious one the Court has no jurisdiction to deal with the mate's certificate. The master and the mate will be ordered to pay between them the costs of this inquiry. The certificates- of both the master and the saote wart.retursfd. <