BARRIER WRECK.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 June 1922, Page 5

BARRIER WRECK.

LOSS OF THE WILTSHIRE. CAPTAIN completes evidence. SUPPORT OF OTHER MASTERS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The nautical inquiry into the loss of the Federal Steam Navigation Company’s steamer Wiltshire, which was wrecked on Great Barrier Island on the night of May 31, was proceeded with at the Magistrate’s Court, to-day. Captain Hayward, continuing his evidence, said that at 8 p.m. on May 31 he looked at the log to see the speed of the vessel, and found that from midday to 8 p.m. the Vessel had been doing 12-J knots. He estimated the speed at 12J knots, to be on the safe side. The fact that he had the wind and the sea behind him would make no difference, the varying speeds of the ship being due entirely to the different qualities of coal. His estimated position placed him just under ten miles to the north-east of Cuvier at 10.30 p.m. He had no intention of passing Cuvier in the event of not seeing the light. He knew of nothing to indicate a set to the north-west. Estimating the speed at knots, when the log showed 121, he considered he was giving extra margin of safety, but there was nothing in the weather conditions to render approach to within ten miles of Cuvier dangerous. He did not expect to get bottom when he took the cast at 11 p.m., and it was very easy to make a mistake as to whether bottom had been registered. It was not a good night for seeing land, and he thought it might have been possible to see the lig it at a distance of six miles at 11 p.m. The only explanation he could give was that the ship was set to north-west. All the wreckage went to the north, and the difficulty experienced in getting a line ashore was due to the fact that it drifted to the north. In reply to Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., witness said that after midday the sun wis only sufficient for him to get a bearing for the compass. WAS A RISK TAKEN? Mr. Cutten: What I cannot understand is that you got a sounding, the information being such that, if if was right, you would have immediately turned round; but because you thought this cast was not correct, you took the risk of going on while you checked it. Don’t you think it would have been proper to have taken it as cor rect and turned round? You could afterwards have taken what checks you liked Witnes: We were not sure it was a sounding, and I combined its information with where I thought we were, and took the precaution of slowing. In reply to further questions by the Court, witness said ho did not see the loom of the Barrier, and did not see land until the cliffs were right overhead. Mr. Cutten: There seems to have been a wonderfully curious series of misfortunes. You got carried 20 miles beyond your estimated position by the set and seven or eight miles off your course. Next thing, you are in range of the light for a long time, and the circumstances are such that you don’t see it, and when you got what was undoubtedly a correct sounding, you disbelieved it and acted as if you really i disbelieved it. Finally you had no doubt ias to your position. ! The witness explained that it could be | shown that on the actual course followed I he was never nearer than two miles to Cuvier, and visibility was bad. This closed the case for the Marine Department. EVIDENCE OF A SET. Mr. Meredith (Captain Hayward’s counsel) put in an affidavit by Captain Williams, of the Otarama, which came along the course set by the Wiltshire on the way from Panama. This was to the effect that the vessel experienced an easterly set which carried her 15 ipiles ahead of her estimated position and to the north. There was also, he said, the experience of the master of the steamer Kawatiri, which came into Auckland the morning following the wreck. This master could give direct evidence that coming down from North Cape *ie experienced a strong set into the coast. This master had gone to Gisborne, but counsel hoped to get his evidence. Mr. Meredith, referring to Mr. Cutten’s remark concerning the picking up of the ■ light, said there could not be any sugges- , tion with a man of Captain Hayward’s reI cord and experience of there being any carelessness, and it could not be fairly suggested that his word was not to be accepted on the point. Mr. Cutten said there was only one question, and that was why the captain, wh he got a doubtful sounding at 11 p.ni., did not take the precaution of turning rounl . There was the contention that there had been an easterly set, and this was given in explanation of the ship being so far ahead of her expected position. The court might be prepared to accept that there was a set. Mr. Meredith: Can I take it that the court will accept that there was a set? Mr. Mays objected, but said he was willing that the question of a set should be placed aside, and that the captain be asked why he did not take the very obvious precautions when he got doubtful soundings. LIGHT SOMETIMES OBSCURED. James Ployman, captain of the Katoa, said that on Monday night last he was coming into Auckland, and experienced a set which carried him to the east and north, compelling him to twice alter his course to pass close to Cuvier. He had never noticed this set before. He had known Cuvier light to be obscured in thick weather to such an extent that passing within three miles of the island he barely saw the light. Arthur Henry Dowey, master of the Nnvua, said he had sometimes experienced a set when approaching the gulf, according to conditions. After a week of easterly weather, he would certainly look for a set to westward. Coming in from his last trip,, | on June 18, he found himself at noon ten I miles to the westward of his estimated j position. He then set his course, and at 6.55 p.m. observed Cape Brett light much nearer than usual. Coming down he experienced a distinct set to the westward. I In heavy north-east weather the visibility of Cuvier would be very low, and clouds often got* round the light and obscured it. On occasions he had passed within a mile of Cuvier, and had been able to see the bottom of the island, but no sign of the light. Wilfred Leslie Goddard, chief officer oe the Wiltshire, gave evidence, generally corroborating that by the master. At the time of the stranding be had turned j, .haring no cause to worry about the positim |of the ship. He said that among theml selves they were satisfied exactly where they were and what they were going to do. | Th® Rearing was adjouraefl.