THE WARATAH

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10136, 14 January 1911, Page 5

THE WARATAH

FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD. "SOMEBODY'S COFFIN." BOATS UNFIT FOR USE. (Received January 13, 11.50 a.m.) LONDON, January 12. Further evidence at the Waratah enquiry included a letter from Embrose, quartermaster on the Waratah's last voyage, .to Ms parents describing the vessel as a splendid sea boat. Chapman, an engineer' on the first voyage, declared the Waratah was a steady, seaworthy stamp of steamer. On the first voyage the lifeboats were continually leaking and had to be patched! Hd'left the ship at Sydney'because he was frightened. Ho would not have returned to her for a thousand pounds. The lifeboats were unfit for use. The chief officer had predicted to him that the ship would be somebody's'coffin. ■ He had heard :the boatswain say the boats were unsafe, and that the ship would go to ;fche bottom, in. a. storm. ■ Pinel, carpenter's mate, stated that the boats were made of green wood. They opened out in the tropics, and it was impossible to repair them, there being no material aboard.

LOST DOCUMENTS. J | ■ ) (Received January 13, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, January ,12. "■ Witn'esles testified that tHe Wara- 1 tah was a comfortable\ ship. One stated that during the maiden voyage he thought the ship would not stand much punishment. However, he was not frightened; Mr Scott, counsel for'* the owners, stated that when Lund and Sons sold, out to the Peninsular and Oriental Steam , Navigation Company, some documents had' heen handed over. Some of them had probably been : destroyed, resulting ini confusion; which had' been enhanced by the , difficulty of tracing the documents. ■'■ : • ''.''■ • ...' '•■■ ■ ' " '.-'' ■""' LIKE A CORK. ] (Received ' .,.■, : •. LONDON, January 12. Pinel, in his evidence, said the Waratah rolled considerably;. She was like a .cork on the water.