THE WAIKARE WRECK.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2709, 13 January 1910, Page 5

THE WAIKARE WRECK.

NAUTICAL INQUIRY

[Pick Press Association. ( , DUNEDIN, Jan. 12. The nautical inquiry into the wreck of the Waikare in Dusky Sound on Jan. uary 4th- was held here to-day before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M., and Captains Sundstrum and Post (assessors). Mr Sibbald and Capt. Beaumont, Marine Superintendent, represented the Department. Captain Beaumont produced' tlic' latest chart of Dusky Sound, the latest corrections being made in 1900. Captain Strang gave evidence that the Waikare was insured in outside 1 offices for £lo,ooo.Captain Newton had been in the Company’s service since 18SG and the Company had every confidence in him. Captain Newton said he had been master of steamers for about 19 years. His last trip was his eighth to the Sounds. Ho had gone six times as chief officer and once as passenger to refresh his memory of the place. The last trip as chief officer was about 18 years ago. When the shin struck, Stop Island was the only place he could reach in the time at his disposal. The morning after the wreck search was made for the. rock on which the vessel struck. After about half an hour’s search the boatswain, on hauling in the line from a cast, found the lead dirug or rake on a rock. The lead suddenly slipped off the rock. Further efforts to locate the rock were unsuccessful. On the way to Pigeon Island to land people he found two rocks not marked on the chart. So far as he knew he was on the same course as that followed by Captain McDonald the week previously. To make a- close survey of the Sounds would probably take 20 years. He would take a vessel into the passage again and have no fear. The. place where he wanted to beach her was Duck Cove, five miles away, and there was another equally good place four and a half miles away, but the engineer said he had no more steam than would carry the ship a mile Stop Island was the only spot near by where there were soundings. If the Waikare could have gone full speed for ten minutes he could have saved her.

Mr Holdsworth, general manager lor the Union Company, said that the vessel was a hopeless wreck and had been abandoned. She would possibly be sold bv auction.

Captain McDonald, who had been to the Sounds seven times as master, said he never looked upon the Sound as more dangerous than the ordinary coast line of New Zealand. A good deal could be done in surveying Dusky Sound, Wet Jacket Alan, Doubtful Sound and Thomson Sound if the Ad : miralty would lay down an approved track or course. The cost of such survey would not be much, and it would enable people to make the trip to this beautiful scenery free of doubt or fear. The witness added that he did not consider the New Zealand coastline perfectly surveyed or anything near it. The witness gave a statement of insurances on the vessel in outside offices, the largest being £6270 in Lloyd’s. Evidence was also given by Mr A. Todd and Dr Roberts (passengers), Messrs Doorley (chief officer), Angus McLean (steersman), r. Hickey (chief engineer), J. McArthur (second engineer) and A. Inverarity (fourth engineer) . The Couid. will probably give its decision to-morrow.