THE ATUA INQUIRY.
CAPTAIN EXONERATED. By Telegraph. -Press Association Auckland, June 16. Giving evidence at the Marine Board inquiry into the stranding of the Atua at Fiji. Captain Freer said the weather was Jiick with intermittent rain squalls. He was picking up the reefs as he came abreast of them. He was a good halfmile off the Navua beacon, and expected to a quarter of a mile off the reef, but hauled out half a point. A few minutes later the ship struck about a quarter of a mile off the point of the reef. He put' opt seaward half a mile, and found water in the hold. He steered for Suva and, the water increasing, beached the vessel >at Naitomtoni Head. The vessel was in clear water where she struck. He was quite sure there was an error in the compass. After the vessel struck the firemen left the but the engineers induced his juniors to keep the ship going till she was beached. The Fiji trimmers stood by. Watc* was running out of the reserve bu’ .nd rushing into the stokehold when remen got the wind up. The board found that the Atua struck an uncharted coral lead. The master exercised sound judgment in beaching the vessel. The Court of Inquiry which followed on June 10 corroborated the finding of the Marine Board? and also stated that the master had no reason to believe there was danger a quarter of a mile off the reef. There was no default or wilful neglect, but the exercise of ordinary prudence, skill and reasonable foresight. The court commended the captain for beaching the steamer, as darkness was approaching.
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Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1921, Page 6
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277THE ATUA INQUIRY. Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1921, Page 6
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