TELEGRAMS.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3879, 4 June 1881, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(Pbbss Association.)

DUNEDIN. Friday. The Taranis Inquiry—Delivery of Judgment. Judgment in the Tararua Inquiry was given to day. The court found that the wreck and loss of life were principally caused through the failure of Captain Garrard to ascertain at four a.m. on 20th of April, the correct position of the ship, when the simple use of the lead would hare told him the distance from shore; that the course in which the Tararua was from 1 30 to 4 o'clock assuming the compasses were magnetically correct, was an insecure course, and therefore improper, especially as a heavy swell and ebb tide turned to set the vessel in shore ; that at 425, when the second officer first called ! the captain's attention to the noise of breakers, the vessel wag off Slope Point, and in dangerous proximity thereto, but the captain bettered her to be off Waipapa Point; that although it is regretted that the second officer did not exercise the power which he had to stop the engines if he found the ship was in imminent danger, when for the second time he thought he heard breakers, the Court could not dome to a conclusion that his not doing so was'a negligent omission, as it was reasonable for him to suppose that the captain had ascertained the position of the ship at 4 a.m., and he might naturally be impressed with the idea that the hearing of breakers could only be fancy, and took the action he did to report to the captaiu, iv terms of his orders; at the same time they were of opinion that leariug the bridge at any time by the officer iv charge of the deck, when the ship was under way was fraught with extreme danger, and that Captain Garrard;s orders to bis officers to call-him personally were imprudent. In their opinion' the immediate cause of the wreck and loss of life was the negligent failure of able seaman Weston to keep a proper look out; that after the vessel struck and filled the captain committed an error of judgment iv not placing his passengers in boats. They considered there were sufficient boats and life buoys in the Tararua, but did uot think many lives would hare been saved had life belts been available for the passengers and crew.. In reference to the management of boats, they thought the loss of the,first;officer's might have been avoided by more skilful management; but ' Hltliouitb censuring Lindsay for liis lack of skill, they were not diposed lo aay tlie casualty resulted therefrom. It was caused by his wrongful act or default. They thought assistance should hare been rendered from the Bluff or Inrercargill when intimation was first received of the accident, for no passenger vessel on a rook could be considered in other th«n a dangerous position. Astonishment was expressed that the officers of the Tararua were ignorant of deviations of compasses, but in vrew of the peculiar discipline on board, the Court were not disposed to say to what degree, if any, ignorance was attributable to their own neglect. The certificates of both officers were then returned. In conclusion, the Court made the following recommendations :—(!■•) That a light is urgently required in the neighborhood of Waipapa Point; (2.) That all passenger vessels trading in New Zealand waters be compelled to carry life belts for the maximum number of passengers and crew; (3 ) That regulations be made compelling exercise iv the management of boats at stated intervals. In answer to a question, the Court said that as the Captain had lost his life, there was no one against whom an order for costs could be made.