THE TAIAROA DISASTER. The Official Enquiry.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2160, 13 May 1886, Page 2

THE TAIAROA DISASTER. The Official Enquiry.

The inquiry was resumed at Wellington on Monday. Mr 801 l addressed the Court on behalf of the Collector of Custom*. He urged that, although the captain allowed half a point to westward on account of the north-wester in the Straits, yet wlion tho wind changed, and although the Taiaroa was flying light, he did not make any allowance on the other side. The gravest charge, however, which he had to make against the captain — in fact the only grave charge— was that, according to his own evidence, he never looked nt the compass from the time he left Wellington, certainly never after four o'clock. He reviewed tjhe evidence on the third point, and argued that if Cnpt. Thomson had done so he imut have obseivcd something which would have drawn his attention to tho fact that he was too clo^e in to land. Even the de\ iation of the compass was to eastward, and that would have set her outside rather than inbido Kaikoura. The court must remember that the helm was put hard a starboard before the steamer struck, so that really befme that she inubt have been heading still more in-shore tb.in her position now show*. After they struck if the captain had looked at the compass I he must have, discovered he was on the

W.up.ipa point ; yet Iw oW-ly \m w n 'tl» ing about wheiu l.( \. as. Tin-, unnaiict', though it malty dm not m.Vtsr :is it tuineil out, might in otliet cucmustauces !n\e li'i'l a highly nn,n it mt cffi Lt on the after f.»to of tnoso on liuul Tlii-ie was no re.i-.on wl>y tho lipfhts "-linilrl not lii\o l>ecn set tfoing after tho |>n--cngeis were in the boat-*, .ilthough tlic c.n i eutor was in tho first instance whi-n lighting them by tho chief officer. A^.uiiit tho conduct of tha ciptain subsequently there was nothing to say, but ho must urge on tho Cmut th it the primary cause "f the wreck was the m.istei's iiutU<uti<iii to tlie course he w.is ateering. The Court th-ii adjourned till eleven a.m. on Wednesday.

iBV rELEUKVPH— -OWN COHKEM ON'DKSI] Wi:lliv. rox, Wednesday. At the Taiaroa enquiry, council for the captain attributed the dmstcr to an error and want of judgment of the chief ollicer. The decision is adjourned till to monow.