["Wreck of the Koombana", The Sunday Times (Perth, WA), Sunday 19 May 1912, page 9]

...

BROOME, Saturday.

Mr. Barker, editor and proprietor of the "Port Hedland Advocate," who yesterday read the finding of the Koombana Inquiry Board for the first

time, says that the statement that the steamer when she left Port Hedland was drawing 19ft. aft is not in accordance with what the Harbormaster told him and said he was prepared to adhere to when the vessel was reported missing. The Harbormaster's assertion was that she was drawing 11ft. forward and 16ft. aft. As to the statement that there was no particular evidence of bad weather, Mr. Barker says that for some hours before the Koombana sailed from Port Hedland the people were battening down, preparing for the gale. Further, that 40 pearling luggers had run into the creek from outside for shelter; and that many divers had reported an almost infallible sign of a blow--that is, a heavy ground swell in various parts of the ocean bed where they had been working. Also other evidence and an erratic barometer made it patent that a big disturbance was on hand.

Furthermore, Captain Allen, when questioned by Mr. Barker as to whether he was going to put out, said he did not know. "I don't like the glass," was Captain Allen's remark, "and another 24 hours here will not matter."

His decision to put out was only announced subsequent to a conversation which took place on the Koombana between Captain Allen and Captain

Upjohn of the Bullarra. Upon deciding to go out Captain Allen asked the Harbormaster to have certain luggers that were obstructing the channel out of Port Hedland Harbor removed, and when one still remained said he would not go out unless it was removed. He was palpably uneasy and disinclined to go.

"My passengers think they will get to Broome to-morrow (Thursday)," he remarked, "but they will be lucky if they get there by Saturday. I am going to put right out to sea, and as I might bump the bar going out I will leave my ballast tanks until I get outside and fill them out there."

As the Koombana went out a choppy sea was rolling through the harbor entrance, Mr. Barker watched the vessel from his house on the foreshore, and she had an ugly list to port. She was rolling heavily, her propeller at times being out of the water.

Within the last ten days ten air-tight tanks from the lifeboat have been reported as found on the beach 14 miles south of Hedland.

The Penguin visited Bedout Island last Tuesday, but no wreckage was discovered.

[Why wasn't Mr. Barker called as a witness at the inquiry?--S.T."]