Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DATLY.) Suivant la verite. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1884. DIFFERENT DECISIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 56, 5 February 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DATLY.) Suivant la verite. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1884. DIFFERENT DECISIONS.

The decision of the Court of Enquiry hfcld touching the stranding of the steamer Charles Edward on a reef off Motu Ngaru Island, while on her voyage from Wellington to Nelson, on 28th December last, has been confirmed by his Excellency the Governor. The purport of that decision was that the mastei', Captain William Ralph Scott " was so far suffering from the effects of liquor taken previously to the vessel leaving port as to be unfit for the duties of bis command," and his certificate was accordingly suspended for three months. Really, after this it is not to be wondered at that cases of masters of steamers incurring risks through being under the influence of liquor are not infrequent. When the captain of the steamer Triumph was finetl £50 and had to suffer the loss of his certificate for three years, there was an outcry that the penalty was not severe enough, and that i .he should further be dealt with criminally for negligence. Thns, the difference seems to be, that m one case the Charles Edward stranded on a reef but was got off not much worse, and m the other the Triumph a larger and much more valuable vessel was allowed lo go ashore, and was subsequently abandoned to the underwriters. The circumstances attending each, do not m the main, appear to have been very dissimilar. In both, had the respective captain? been m every respect " fit for the duties of their command," neither casualty would m alt probability have occurred. If Captain Brothertov, late commander of the Triumph, was considered deserving of a more severe punishment than that adjudged by the Court of Inquiry, many will think that Captain Soott, lately of the Charles Edward, got oif very lightly indeed with a suspension of his certificate for " three months." The time must come when captains of steamers, to whose care are entrusted valuable life and -property, will have to consider that when they place the vessel m their command m neeJless jeopardy, by their being incapacitated for duty by intem- | perance, under no circumstances can ! they ever regain the position m which they have proved their culpable untrustworthiness.