KARU WRECK.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 27 March 1926, Page 10

KARU WRECK.

COURT OF INQUIRY. J2y Ttf.’oirr»D)'—PresK \ *sor*iaU«o. AUCKLAND, March 26. ' At the Kai ii inquiry to-day Geo. Alex. Keith, chief officer, said lie only Ae.lt. one slight Li;tnji crossing the Whangap© bar. Tiie plate which the witness Halid.iy said be hud pierced witli a penknife, was a new plate, fitted prior to the Kara leaving Australia for Auckland. , Alfred Ciias. Dunklej*, second officer in cross-exam.nation said lie did not know why the vessel did not get safely over the Wbanganc bar. The sails were in good condition. Walter Parker, master of the Oliinenujri. .who towed the Knru over the \,VJiangape bar, .said be did not consider .flic captain of the Karu took any risk in crossing., In witness’s opinion the Captain was justified in proceeding ho ken. As far as lie knew there were no rocks on the bar... Dennis Brown Cochrane, A. 8., on the Kara, asked- what lie did in the vessel’s engine room at Auckland’ said he just chipped the boiler and cleaned the engine. Did you put-in any new plates? . Witness: No. Counsel-: Now wo want the truth. What .did you do? ■Witness: I put in a pouple’of bolts in the hull because there was a bit of a leak. I put a bit of a plate in with the bo't on each side.