COASTAL STEAMER ABLAZE.
LOADED WITH BENZINE
EIGHT LIVES LOST.
ONLY ONE SURVIVOR
CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.
News received from Cheviot states that the coastal steamer Tainui, 128 tons, which was loaded with a cargo of benzine yesterday at Lyttetelton for Wanganui, was beached at two o'clock this morning at Gore Bay, off the Wairau river, on fire. The vessel was owned by the New Zealand Refrigerating Company and carried a crew of nine, the master being J. C. Cowan, of Wanganui.
Another telegram received states that the body of a man has been washed up on the Gore Bay beach.
A later message states that the Tainui is a complete wreck and that eight lives were lost, only one member of the crew being saved.
The names of the crew are as follows: — Master, J. C. Cowan; mate, W. H. Stevens, of Wanganui; engineer, E. Freenwood. of Wellington; firemen, A. Fuller and W. Townsend, of Wellington; sailors, S. Williams, D. D. McLean, and J. Howard, of Lyttlelton; cook, W. Farrard, of Wanganui. — Press Assn. -Northern Advocate, 16/9/1919.
SOLE SURVIVOR’S STORY.
DISCOVERY OF THE FIRE.
The Coroner (Mr S. E. McCarthy) opened an inquest at Cheviot on the bodies of the victims of the disaster. Sergeant H. Scott appeared for the police, Mr G. H. Buchanan for the owners of the vessel (the New Zealand Refrigerating Company).
William H. Farrant said that he was cook on the Tainui. The steamer left Lyttelton at 6.30 p.m. on Monday with a cargo of about 2000 cases of benzine, loaded fore and aft with a few agricultural implements stowed among the benzine. The mate was on watch and a man was at the wheel. From 12 to 4 a.m. W. Jownsend, fireman, was on duty. Witness was wakened about 2.30 a.m. by an explosion. He went on deck. He saw fire coming from the forward hatch. He went aft and wakened the crew. The man remained at the wheel until he was told to leave by the captain, then all hands went to the boat. There was a little bit of a swell on. The captain gave orders to stop the engines and the captain and three others got into the boat, which had swamped when launched, and tried to bale it out, but the boat overturned throwing the occupants into the sea. Those on board went down the ropes and righted the boat. The captain again tried to bale it out, but the boat again overturned and broke away with seven men clinging to it, the mate and witness being on board. Williams called out to follow him, and Williams, the captain and Fuller (a fireman) all left the boat and tried to swim ashore. Witness and the mate dived and swam to the overturned boat. On the boat, were Greenwood, Townend, Howard and McLean. The boat drifted towards the shore and the six were ail on it for about two hours, the captain and two being about fifty yards away. Ihe captain called for witness to help him, but witness replied that they were stuck themselves. He did not hear from the captain again. The engineer at this stage was getting exhausted and slipped off the boat and floated with them for some time. Jack Howard was the next to go. They then got into breaking rollers. A big sea sent McLean and Townsend awash and they disappeared. They got into rougher water and the boat was driven down and when it came to the surface again the mate was gone. About one hundred yards from the shore witness abandoned the boat and swam, getting ashore exhausted. After some time he tried to walk to the burning ship to get warm, and about 8.30 was found by Messrs Bryden, Tweedie and A. Wilkinson, and later Messrs Eric and U. Winskill, who had him taken to their residence.
To Sergeant Scott: He heard three explosions following quickly one after the other. It would be about fifteen minutes from the time of the explosion till the Tainui was finally abandoned. As far as he was aware none of the crew had been injured in the explosion.
Mr Buchanan: When he first saw the fire it was issuing from the fore hatch, and when they left the flames were confined to the fore part of the ship. The explosion had thrown off the foremost hatch cover, which was the only one blown off.
REPORT LIKE A CANNON.
Mrs Louisa. Hughes, postmistress at Port Robinson, whose house is situated on the headland overlooking the coast, a good distance above the level of thoesea, said that during the night she was awakened by a loud report like a cannon. On going outside she saw a fire a little distance out to sea. Shortly after, when she looked again, the fire looked closer to the shore. In two or three different places she saw something that looked like flames shooting out of the water. She consulted others in the house, who did not think it was a matter of much importance, so she went back to bed. About 6.30 her son sent a message by a little boy for witness to ring up Cheviot that there was a ship on fire. She could not get the postmaster at Cheviot to answer till about twenty minutes to eight. Witness thought the explosion took place about three o’clock on Tuesday morning. After the explosion she distinctly heard a sound coming from the direction of the flames. It sounded like a fog horn.
Henry Scott, sergeant of police at Cheviot, gave evidence that in response to a message received at 7.48 a.m. on Tuesday he left for Shag Rock, and on the way was joined by several residents. On arriving at the coast he saw the survivor, Farrant, in company with two youths named Winskill. Civilians had found the bodies of Williams, Townsend and Fuller, and about an hour later two more bodies (those of Grenwood and McLean) came ashore at Gore Bay, about three miles south of where the body of Williams had landed near Shag Rock. The Tainui was lying on the shore near Shag Rock, and when witness saw the vessel first she was burning fiercely fore and aft, but not amidships. Four ship’s lifebuoys were found lying on the beach. Four of the bodies were conveyed into Cheviot on Tuesday, and the body of Williams, which came ashore at Rocky Point, was brought over by pack horse across the hills that (Wednesday) morning. All of the bodies were bruised. The three other bodies had not yet been recovered. The inquest was adjourned to Lyttelton sine die. -Star, 18/9/1919.
TAINUI DISASTER
NAUTICAL ENQUIRY OPENED.
The nautical enquiry into the burning and total wreck of the Tainui, with a less of eight lives, off the Cheviot coast, on September l6th. was opened at Lyttelton yesterday. Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., presided, and with him were associated Captain Felix Black and Mr Y. J. Le Cren, engineer.
The several parties concerned in the enquiry were represented as under: Mr H. F. O'Leary for Mrs D. McLean, Mrs A. Fullen, and Mrs W. Townsend, all of Wellington, widows of members of the crew of the Tainui; Mr W. T. Young for the Seamen's Union; Mr G. H. Buchanan for the Refrigerating Co., the owners of the Tainui; Mr T. H. Weston for the Steamship Owners Federation; Mr O. T. J. Alpers for the Vacuum Oil proprietary, the owners of the benzine cargo; Mr L. W. White for the Merchant Service Guild, and the relatives of the late Seamen C. Williams. D.S.M., and J. Howard, both of Lyttelton: Mr J. R. Cuningham for Mrs Cowan (widow of Captain Cowan, master of the Tainui); and Mr S. G. Raymond. K.C., for the Marine Department.
The enquiry was led by Mr Raymond, who proposed that the points of reterency of the enquiry should be as follows:— .
1. Whether the regulations regarding shipment and carriage at sea of petroleum were complied with.
2. Whether due care was exercised in the stowage of the petroleum on the said ship.
3. Whether the ship was safe and suitable for the receipt and conveyance of petroleum.
4. Whether the tins and cases containing the petroleum were leaking so as to render it unsafe for the vessel to put to sea.
5. Whether the boat and life-saving appliances were efficient and available.
The Court acccpted this order of reference. The first witness called, was William Henry Farrand, cook in the Tainui, who was the only survivor. Fresh evidence to that given by him at the inquest at Cheviot, on September 17th, was that the benzine tins were leaking, but he did not pay any particular attention to the loading of the cargo, which he noticed, however, was well stowed, and there was no likelihood of the ploughs shifting. There was very little swell on the sea. He noticed signs of fire coming from the forward hold only. He did not notice that Townsend, the fireman on watch, was singed. Witness detailed what happened after the crew took to the life boat. He was in the water when the boilers blew up. About 4 a.m. he noticed that the aft part of the ship was still untouched by fire. When on the ship he heard a terrific explosion, and then two light ones in succession. The hatches were battened down when they went to sea on Monday night. It was usual for the captain, when they had a benzine cargo, to leave a small space open in the hatch covcrs. All the forehatch covers were blown off by the expl'osion.
To Mr Young: He did not know if there was any dunnage used in the storage of the cargo. They never had any boat drill while he was on the Tainui. He believed there was a rope around the gunwhale of the lifeboat. It was not possible that the members of the crew lost their lives through a frail life-line carrying away.
To Mr Buchanan: The explosions he heard sounded as if coming from the forward hatch.
To Mr Le Cren: He could not swear that it was the boiler he heard blowing up when he was in the water, but the mate, Stevens, said it was the boiler.
Henry Scott, Sergeant of Police at Cheviot, gave evidence similar to that given by him at Cheviot on September 17th.
Captain William Williamson repeated the evidence which he gave on Thursday at the Coroner's enquiry.
To Mr Cuningham: A captain was only the servant of a company, and he had to take orders from his company's shipping manager, but he had the right to reject what he considered to be dangerous cargo. Witness had on different occasions rejected leaky cases of benzine.
To Mr Young: When in Wellington with the Tainui in November last, he received a letter of instruction from the Refrigerating Company, ordering him to proceed immediately to Wanganui in contravention of the then existing daylight sailing regulation for the navigation of Cook Strait. The Tainui laboured heavily in the seaway.
Mr Young: How many degrees would she roll?
Witness: Oh, she would nearly turn right round. (Laughter.)
To Mr Buchanan: Logan had refused to sail in the Tainui to Timaru last March, because he considered the boat was not seaworthy. The Tainui was not the only boat where men were paid off prior to the overhaul.
To Mr Weston: His experience in wooden steamers or ships was: Te Kapo, three months' service as mate, 15 or 16 years ago; Red Pine, one trip, seven or eight years ago; and the Tainui.
John Buchanan Hay, Wanganui, engineer in the employ of the New Zealand Refrigerating Company, gave evidence as to the insulation system on the holds and bulkheads in the Tainui.
At 5 p.m. the enquiry was adjourned till Monday morning at Christchurch, where the enquiry will be conducted in future. -Press, 11/10/1919.
October 14. The nautical inquiry into the loss of the Tainui was continued to-day. The sole survivor (Farrand), who was recalled, said he had not noticed the fumes of benzine on the trip or when he was awakened by the explosion. When the lifeboat was put over the side he remembered McLean putting in the plug.
George Thomas Slade, chief engineer at Smithfield, Timaru, for the Refrigerating Company, said that he visited the Tainui in September, and saw repairs being effected. The captain and the witness were both satisfied that good repair work had been done.
Alexander Kuss, a watersider, said that the leaky cases were put on one side and sent on deck. He did not consider that the Tainui's holds were suitable for stowing benzine.
George Tapp (recalled) said that after repairs were effected in Timaru he inspected the hold to see if there were any more holes, and he was satisfied that there were none which had not been repaired. Captain Cowan also made an examination, and expressed appreciation of the work done. There were no defects in the insulation walls or the bulkhead which could possibly be a source of danger when he finished the repairs at Timaru on September 13.
The inquiry has been adjourned until tomorrow.
October 15. The nautical inquiry in connection with the loss of the Tainui was continued to-day.
John Daniel Miller, shipwright, detailed the repairs which had been effected during the annual overhaul in March. When finished, the insulation appeared to be airtight, and as good as when it was first put in. The lifeboat was in first-class condition. The vessel was in fair average condition. He did not hear any of the crew complain of benzine fumes in their quarters.
Paul Eugene Bean, station master at Lyttelton, gave evidence that the cargo of benzine which was removed from the Tainui on September 12 was put in trucks and held till the vessel's return from Timaru. He saw no leakage in the trucks. He saw oil being removed in slings from the trucks. Oil dripped from some of the slings. He did net think that the tins coming from America were fit to contain benzine meant for a long journey.
The President of the court said it was evident that the tins were meant for short railway journeys in America.
Mr Alpers, for the Vacuum Oil Company, said he hoped the court had not made up their minds on that point. If so, he could call expert advice to prove the contrary. The President added that the court had seen the tins, but the court's mind was not yet made up.
Felix Newfield, Seamen's Union delegate at Lyttelton, adhered to his theory that a cinder from the stokehold had fallen into the bilges and set the benzine alight. In cross-examination, he said he could have prevented the Tainui from leaving port on account of the dangerous condition of the cargo by arranging for a member of the crew not to turn up in time for sailing. That move was on the boards at the time, but unfortunately it missed fire.
Other evidence was adduced similar to that given at the inquest
October 16. At the sitting of the Nautical Court of Inquiry to-day. Captain Colonna, Lloyd's surveyor, in his evidence, said it was imperative that the bulkhead should go down to the "skin" of the ship if it was intended to carry benzine. The precautions should include the opening of the hatches at intervals to allow the fumes to escape. His theory of the explosion was that the bilges were not kept free from benzine, and a spark, probably from the surface, ignited the benzine. The best thing to carry oil in was oil-tight drums.
To Mr Young: If he were captain of a wooden vessel he would not allow leaky cases near the ship.
James Hughes, watcrsidcr, said he had had 11 years' experience, and had never handled worse cargo than that of the Tainui. Only rope slings were used in loading the cargo. Some tins which were not leaking in the trucks were broken, and the oil ran out into the hold or on to the deck. Benzine in cases was best handled on trays. Though the order to put only sound cases into the hold was given, those who gave it allowed leaky cases to go down.
P. W. Brittain (waterside worker), in giving evidence regarding the loading of the benzine cargo, said that some of the cases in the slings broke as they were being hoisted up. If tray slings had been used no breakage would have occurred.
L. C. Galbraith (sales manager for Messrs Gollin and Co.) said he did not think the evidence tendered regarding the deterioration of the quality of the tins was correct. Statistics showed that the leakage was no greater now than in pre-war days. Some Californian tins were lighter, but the cases were of thicker wood.
Constable Hessell deposed that the lifebelts found were in good order, also the lifeboat except that the plug was missing and the lifeline round the boat was broken on one side.
Sergeant Hodgson, who inspected the Tainui on September 17, said that most of the tins near the ploughs had retained their original shape.
October 17. At the Tainui inquiry to-day Captain Daniel Bonner, master of the coastal steamer Mana, gave evidence that the Mana carried benzine cargoes similar to the Tainui. The Mana was an iron vessel. He was formerly master of the Tainui, and carried benzine cargoes in both holds on occasions. He never put ironwork on top of the benzine cargo. The officers were the responsible parties for loading. No boats were free from risk when carrying benzine, but the Tainui ran more risk than a vessel properly constructed for oil carrying.
Claude Ferrier stated that the benzine from the schooner Caroline, which was loaded into the Tainui, was in good condition, except about 45 cases.
Peter Carmichael deposed that Greenwood had a premonition that something was going to happen to the Tainui.
The Wanganui Harbour Board has decided to make a grant of £30 out of the unauthorised expenditure for the widows and children suffering by the recent Tainui disaster. It was decided to send letters of sympathy to the relatives. -Otago Witness, 21/10/1919.
The wreck of the Tainui is gradually disappearing as sand silts it up, and only a little twisted iron can be seen at high water (says the "Lyttelton Times"). The Court of Inquiry abandoned a visit to the wreck at Gore Bay, as it seemed improbable that anything useful would be learned owing to the battered state of the hull. The wreck is said to have been sold to a local resident for a small sum, and he has been salvaging brass-work and other fittings, but the work has been arduous, entailing much haulage over rough country. -Auckland Star, 6/11/1919.
I will leave the last words on the Tainui disaster to the Liberal candidate for Waikato, Mr P. H. Watts. Not being in government, he felt himself free to comment in no uncertain terms on the conditions exposed by the enquiry into the wreck.
Sent to Certain Death.
The case of the Tainui would be a blot on the history of the present administration for all time. The slipshod methods of the present Government had caused a position to arise in which there was no proper inspection and no proper control of the clearance of' ships. The court of enquiry found that the crew of the Tainui set out with almost certain death facing them. It would appear from the finding of the Court that the Tainnui's case was one of the worst cases of a ship being deliberately sent to her doom in the history of the mercantile marine. It was an extraordinary thing that the court of enquiry went so far as to indicate that in such cases the crew should refuse to put to sea. Too much importance could not be attached to this finding. It amounted to an admission that Government control was so inadequate that a court of justice considered direct action and breach of the law to be the duty of the crew. Could anything do more to advance the cause of direct action and the success of that irresponsible Labour Party of whom the country was to-day afraid, than the mal-administration which forced a court of justice to such an extremity. (Applause.) -Waikato Times, 5/12/1919.
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