THE RONA INQUIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1922, Page 4

THE RONA INQUIRY.

SHIPMASTERS AND OFFICERS PROTEST. AT THE COURT FINDING. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. A meeting of twenty to thirty shipmasters and officers unanimously : That this meeting of shipmasters and shipe’ officers resolve that its disapproval of the finding of the Court with regard to Captain Wallis is hereby expressed and placed on record, it being against the weight of evidence, and having the effect of throwing an absolutely unreasonable amount of responsibility on all masters. That the chief officer, whose watch it was, and who took the bearing of the Little Barrier at 5.15 p.m u knew exactly where the ship was at 6.15 p.m., and there was no occasion for the master to discuss the position of the ship with him Further, as. the chief officer had taken both the Rona and Fiona inside the light on many, occasions, and knew it was the custom to go inside in clear weather, there was no- occasion to instruct him on which side to go, as he was a thoroughly intellectual gentleman and the captain had seven years’ observation of him and had proved him to be particularly reliable and trustworthy. That the words of the Court’s decision: “He (the captain) allowed the steward to engage his attention and draw him into forgetting all about the bridge,” were absolutely unwarranted, it being impossible for a careful and prudent shipmaster to forget his responsibilities when coasting. That the Court’s contention that the chief officer did not seriously accept the responsibility of navigating the ship is not in accord with his own evidence, and is contrary to established custom, as it is an accepted axiom of the sea that, upon the master leaving the bridge, the chief officer assumes full charge, with the knowledge that, should the slightest doubt arise, the master shall be called. The resolution took exception to the attitude of counsel for the Department in this and the -Wiltshire case, and objected to Captain Fleming being an assessor, on the ground that he had not been at sea for a period of 24 years. The resolution concluded: That, after having carefully followed all the evidence adduced at the inquiry, this meeting considers Captain Wallis is absolutely free from all blame attaching to the casualty. A further resolution was passed expressing appreciation of the manly way in which Mr. Grantley acted at the inquiry and took all blame for the casualty.