MONTH'S SHIPPING.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7358, 10 July 1889, Page 3

MONTH'S SHIPPING.

The arrivals and departures foreign at the port of Lyttelton have not been very large during the past month, the only sailing vessels inwards being the Olive, barque, from Liverpool, via Port Chalmers, the Rothesay Bay, barque, and Opawa, ship, from London direct. Outwards the sailing vessels for London were the barque Cloncaird and ship Abercarne. The barque Olive went to Howland Island, forty-three miles north of the Line, and 177deg east longitude. The barque Oaklands and brißantine Stella were both despatched to Australian ports. The latter vessel goes on to one of the South American ports to load nitrate for England. -On the passage from London of the barque Rothesay Bay nine of the seamen, Charles Judd, Frederick Brock, Harry Courtney, John Adams, Robert Greenacre, Francis Thomas Pyle, Richard Warren, Hjalmar Herrstrom, were implicated in broaching cargo to the amount of £15. They were tried at the Lyttelton R.M. Court, and Judd, Brock, and Courtney, who were the ringleaders, were sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labor. The rest were dismissed, and ordered to pay for the value of cargo stolen, as they were proved not to be implicated in the actual broaching, but were receivers of the stolen cargo in ignorance—all the men confessed their offence.

Exceptionally heavy weather has. prevailed 1 on the coast and between Australia and New Zealand, during the month, and at one time Very great fears were felt for the safety of H.M.S. Dart, -which left Auckland on June 6th, for Sydney. The finding of a boat belonging to her and her arrival not being reported at Sydney heightened the anxiety. She, however, arrived safely at her destination on June 30th, and from a cable message received through the Press Association, we learn that—The officers of H.M.S. Dart report that the vessel experienced exceptionally heavy gales nearly all the way across from' New Zealand. When off North Cape, New Zealand, which was on a lee shore, the gunboat had the utmost difficulty in steaming out of danger. OIF the Three Kings, New Zealand, a tremendous sea swept the decks of the Dart and carried away one of her boats from the davits. While the storm raged the Dart only travelled thirteen miles in seven days. On the voyage across, and in fine weather, one of the crew fell overboard, and a lad sprang in after him with a life buoy; both were rescued. Off the Australian coast the Dart experienced a terrific gale, and lost another of her boats. In this storm five of her crew were injured, and some of her sails were blown away. The officers assert that the rigging of the vessel, which was supplied from the Naval stores, was rotten although new. All the other sailing vessels and steamers during the month have experienced heavy gales while between this colony and Australia. The Australian trade is still very brisk. The Union Company of New Zealand have chartered the steamer Bothwell Castle, of 2500 tons, for six months. On her first trip from Lyttelton she took away some 4200 tons of produce. The steamer Centennial, which is running to Australia at reduced rates, is being patronised in a manner sufficiently indicating the shipping and travelling public's determination to support her and her assisting vessel the Jubilee (late Duplets of the Messageries Maritimes Line), the Centennial having had twice to refuse cargo, and last trip to refuse passengers, who were more in demand than she could accommodate.

The ship Opawa, from London, after a passage of eighty-nine days, arrived on the 7th July. On the 6th and 7th June she encountered a heavy gale from the S.W., during which the port lifeboat was carried away oy a sea, being lifted clean off the davits, and the after deckhouse was washed overboard by another sea. No lives were lost.