BARQUENTINE CUTHONA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 86, 13 April 1899, Page 8

BARQUENTINE CUTHONA.

STRANDED A'J? KAIPAEA HEADS,

FINDING "&F THE NAUTICAL ,7 COUET.

.CAPTAIN! 'IAKD OFFICEES EXON- / SEATED. /.■ - i

KA^TARA HEADS, March 22. The bairquentine Cuthona, bound for Sydney /with a cargo of timber, was stranded/ on the North Spit at the Kaipara/harbour at eight o'clock last night, ./fehe sailed with a fresh northeast b'j/eeze, but on approaching the .Spit the wind died away, hence ,the "'jrilsh^p. All hands were saved. The A /ress^rbeciMHe a to&al wmk.. : [TTjtie Cuthona had been employed jfor ' isqx&4 "time in the intercolonial ♦rade, taking coal from Newcastle to New Zealand ports, and returning from, the Kaipara to Sydney with timber on behalf of the Kauri Timber Company. She was a wooden barquentine of 214 gross and 201 net tons. **. Capt. Pearson had charge of the vessel.] h At 10 o'clock on April 8, at the v Magistrate's Court, Mr H. S. Wardell, S.M., delivered judgment in the nautical enquiry into the recent wreck of the British barquentine Cuthona, 201 tons, at Kaipara. Captains J. Clark and J. Adamson, nautical assessors, ■were associated with Mr Wardell on the Bench. After reviewing the evidence given yesterday in reference to the wreck of the vessel, Mr Wardell said: 'On consideration of the evidence I have come to the conclusion that no blame is attachable,., to the master of the vessel, and exonerate him, the officers and crew, from all blame in connection with the loss of the vessel. The master in my opinion acted judiciously under the circumstances.'

The assessors concurred in this decision.

The certificates of Captain Pearson and officers were accordingly returned to them.