THE WAIRARAPA ENQUIRY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4899, 11 December 1894, Page 2

THE WAIRARAPA ENQUIRY.

l/lrNorthcrofts Comments.

(J3y Telegraph, -Press Association)

Auckland, Monday. Mr Nortbcroft, S.M., in delivering judgment, said it was his opinion that the Wairarapa was lost through ' Captain Mcintosh and the'first and second officers riot taking' a correct point of' departure '.'.it: .the. .-Three Kings, and not allowing for acurrent which thoy should have been aware of. As theCaptaiu was (ihYcharge - the'whole time, never leaving the deck or the bridge, ho alone was to blame for the loss of the vessel,' and though there was neglect shown by the Chief Officer, subsequent to the wreck,'in not utilising' the available boats at his disposal, the Court did not think it was of a degree of negligence as to warrant -'the ■'cancellation or suspension of his certificate, or that'- of any' "- of ' the - other officers, but had the Captain not been drowned, no doubt his certificate would have been cancelled;'''''

it-There was plenty of tirj&tov.liave got the boats out liad!owbrs. : :been given and obeyed promptly,'"if the ship's company; jhnd known-'their places. It was evident. ..that the crew did.not know' what to do to get out the boats. -It was mainly owing to this want of efficient' knowledge in,handling the. • boats, that; so many valuable HVes had been lost, The ship's company remaining on the vessel did not, do. what they might have done to -save the women and children;