WRECKED KARU.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 25 March 1926, Page 6

WRECKED KARU.

COURT OF INQUIRY. SOME STARTLING STATEMENTS. hy Telegraph—Press Association. • ' AUCKLAND, March 24. I lie Court of inquiry set up to go into the circumstances of the wreck of the Kara opened before Mr Cuttem and captains Broadwood and Owens, assessors. Mr Meredith, Crown solicitor, in opening, said that Thomas Halliday, udio went as far as Hokianga in the Kara, and then left her, had made some rather startling statements. He had made a statement that while working below lie had tried tins" plutes uith a- pen-knife, and found them coated with rust, and that the plates were so thin that lie pushed liis penknife through. Ho had an argument with the captain about payment for working the bunkers and cargo, and he had used this as an excuse for leaving the ship at Hokianga, but lii.s real reason, lie said, was that he considered the ship unsafe. Captain Tomlinson, surveyor of ships, stated that when the Kara was in Auckland he saw the survey certificates issued at New South AVales in January, .which covered the current year. He received no complaints from anyone about the vessel. There was no official inspection of tlio hull so far as he knew.* Captain Richmond, master of the Kara, said the vessel did not touch AYiiangapo Bar when crossing, but, in berthing, touched a pile with her stern. Examination showed no damage. Tlio timber cargo was stored so that there was absolutely no room for movement. ■The Kara was towed out when in the vicinity of the bar, and touched something once. Soundings taken showed no sign of leakage. The weather got bad, and he reduced speed at eight o’clock, and turned the ship over to the chief officer. A little later the second officer reported water in the hold. Speed was further reduced, and the ship practically hove to. The wind was blowing very’ hard, and the pumps could not cope with the water. Ho got the lifeboats ouir, and set a course to ran for shelter. About daylight the ship lost steering way. Captain Richmond was crossexamined at length by Mr Sehvjn Mays. At one stage the chairman said they had listened for twenty minutes, and had a. few ivords Rom the witness and all the rest from Mr M Asked why he continued- to sound tlu- vessel for hours after the bump, witness said he was following the usual _ precaution at sea. , 1 AYhat caused the wreck?—The possibility of having struck the bai, wreckage, or a sunken log, col, P lt with verv heavy weather. The only evidence ‘of a bump was touching on Alexander Ilulford said he noticed a single light bump as the Kara negotiated the bar. . . Oscar A. A'arjtnct, A. 8., said hc liad put cement filling in the forepart of 'he ship. AVitness had known of no l' kage in the hull. He had felt 1 luce humps when the Kara crossed the bar. The second bump was very )IC To Mr A’allanoce: AYitness said the cement filling had been applied to a portion of the hull in Australia. This 'vas because a pole had struck tlio plates and started the rivets causing a leak. Two .of the men had gone in swimming to locate the leak. Hie fault was made good at Auckland, and the cement removed. Timbers were to prevent damage from poles. The inquiry was adjourned.