THE STEAMER KAPUNI.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1921, Page 5

THE STEAMER KAPUNI.

SEQUEL TO AN EXPLOSION, ’ . CREW REFUSE TO SAIL. By Telegraph.—Press xlssoclatlon. Wellington, Last Night. In connection with the hold-up of the steamer Kapuni the Shipmasters’ Federation met but deferred action until the arrival of Mr. Grainger (general manager of the South Taranaki Shipping Co.), the owners of the Kapuni. Another meeting of shipowners was held to-day to discuss the position. The small coastal steamer Kapuni was unable to sail from Wellington for Patea on Tuesday owing to the crew giving notice. The vessel was loading benzine. and the crew considered the vessel as unsafe to carry such a cargo. It will be remembered that an explosion occurred aboard the Kapuni some little while ago, when the vessel was at Patea, and subsequently the crew refused to sail with a benzine cargo until an inquiry into the cause of the explosion had been held. The employers agreed to this, and an inquiry was held. Part of the cargo intended for the Kapuni was dispatched on Tuesday afternoon by the Hawera. The remainder of the cargo was not loaded on the vessel. Mr. W. T. Young (general secretary of the Seamen’s Federation) made the following statement:— “According to the evidence taken at the inquiry, after the explosion at Patea in January, of an able seaman and a fireman, the fore bulkhead of the No. 1 hold was tested for air tightness by pumping water into the forepeak. This was two days after the explosion at Patea on January 25, and bo|h men—the sailor in particular—asserted that the water ran through the bulkhead almost as quickly as they pumped it into the peak. “This was somewhat corrobated by the evidence of the master to the effect that he had heard that such was the case. Subsequently, Mr. Suisted, Government engineer surveyor, who made the test, asserted to the Court that there was only one small leak, which was hardly distinguishable. He described its nature and position. This was corroborated by Mr. Woods, shipwright, who stated that he plugged the leak up. It is quite clear that although a license was issued to this ship some time last year to carry benzine in her forehold, there is a large difference of opinion ds to the air tightness of the bulkhead as required by the controlling regulations, and on this account it is essential that the bulkhead should be tested before the ship proceeds to sea. “Since the explosion, and up to Monday, no attempt had been made to load benzine into the ship beyond a voyage immediately after the explosion, when the crew refused to put to sea. The crew of the vessel were not inclined to endanger their lives in this set of circumstances, and so far as I know, they preferred to leave the ship, which, I understand, they have done. lam also given to understand that other men refused to join the Kapuni until the bulkheads are tesjted.”