A DANGEROUS CURRENT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9890, 17 January 1895, Page 3

A DANGEROUS CURRENT.

Wellington, Wednesday.

Captain Shaw, of the steamer Star of Victoria, which recently arrived from Sydney via Auckland, reports that the vessel left Sydney for Auckland on the 2nd of January, and encountered strong easterly winds and head feae to the New Zealand coast. The wind then moderated and west round to the north-east, accompanied by very thick weather and fogs, but as the vessel came to the south-east the weather seemed to clear, land being sighted on the starboard bow. Captain Shaw was under the impression that it was the mainland, but ib has since proved to have been the Great Barrier. As Captain Sbaw was unable to pick up Tirl Tirl, he decided to stand ont to pea, and when able to distinguish Cuvier Island light took ft fresh departure which enabled him tc vetify his position and shape a correct course. It should be stated that Captain Shaw, fcfter sighting the New Zealand coast, kept on a course similar to that followed on previous occaelons when coming from Sydney. He plves as a reason for being nearly 30 miles to the eastward out of the track, that it is possible he may have kept the steamer a little further out than usual, and a strong current running through Haurakl Gulf must have caught her on the starboard bow and pushed her still further ont. In view of the Wairarapa disaster the above is of special interest.