KAIAPOI.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1635, 13 March 1866, Page 2

KAIAPOI.

ABBIVED. March 11 —Maid of the Mill, ketch, Hobbs, from Lyttelton. The ship King of Italy left Port for Newcastle, N. S. W., yesterday afternoon, and the Alhambra left for Melbourne about seven o'clock. The Ladybird sailed at noon for Northern ports.

Launch op the Maid or the Avoir.—This vessel was launched yesterday, at the Heathcote Ferry. It is a paddle steamer, and was built by Mr. Dixon, of the Heathcote Wharf, for Mr. Mills, of Christchurch. It is intended to act both as a steam-tug for vessels coming up from Sumner, and also as a pleasure boat. It is substantially constructed entirely of New Zealand timber. One of the peculiarities of the build is, that the frame-work is composed of timber of natural growth, and not mechanically shaped. The knees are made of Ngaio wood, selected for the necessary form, and they thus combine great •trength with facility in working them. The yessel is a very pretty model, fitted up with two cabins for the conveyance of passengers; one fore and the other aft. These are battened on the interior, and are at present open, but will be covered with awnings. The day was a very fine one; a bright sunshine, with a light breeze from the S.W. A considerable number of persons were present to witness the launch. The craft, which was gaily decorated with a variety of flags, including some of Marryat'a signals, was at first resting upon blocks, previously to being allowed to sink upon the ways. About 2.30 p.m., the ceremony of the launch commenced. Miss Annie Mills, the daughter of the proprietor, performed the office of naming the vessel, a bottle of wine being broken against the bow; the dog-shores were knocked away, and the Maid of the Avon glided into her future element, amid the cheer, of the by-standers and of those on board. The tide was at its height about 1 p.m., and had somewhat ebbed when the launeh was completed. However, as the vessel without the engines only draws fourteen inches of water, this wa» of no great consequence. It was subsequently moored alongside the Ferry, and appeared! to lie perfectly level in the stream. We must not omit to mention the courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Dixon, to their visitors. By their kindness, boats conveyed passengers across the stream, thus saving a long trip round by the bridge. The following are the dimensions of the Maid of the Avon: length of keel, 46 feet; length over all, 63 feet; breadth of beam, 10 feet; tonnage, builders' measurement, 25 tons. The engines which are to be manufactured by Mr. Anderson of the Canterbury Foundry are to be on the high-pressure principle, and will _be the first made in the province. They are of about 15 horse-power. The funnel is to be hinged on the system of the boats running on the Thames so as to enable the steamer to pass under the bridges. The total cost of the vessel will be from £800 to £1000. This is the second steamer built in Canterbury, and we cannot conclude without expressing our warmest wishes for the future success of the Maid of the Avon.

West Coast op the Middle Island, New Zealand. —The following, from Captain Thomas Brown, appeared in iheHvlart Town Mercury:— " Would it not be as advisable to call the attention of the colonial Government and people to the necessity of sending a searching party to the West Coast of New Zealand, Middle Island, with a view of relieving human suffering ? Two-vessels lately, the Mary Williams and Sangalier, and I do not know how many others, are supposed to be wrecked about that quarter. The character of a great portion of the West Coast of the Middle Island is calculated to cage men up, as it were, in the many harbours it affords for shelter, yet prevent them from waiting to any settlement, on account of the mountainous and rocky nature of the Far shore; we know from experience it is not unusual for both ships and boats to be ground up by the sea, when, in the providence of a compassionate God, His creatures have been spared. Since the trade opened up with Hokitika, thi number of both small and large vessels, also open boats, passing along this coast, has been considerable; and very possibly the crews, or part of the crews of the missing ones may be at this present feeling something like what the poor fellows suffered but lately

at the Auckland Islands, and so giving unto a benevolent people another opportunity in their life-time of doing good, in holding out a helping hand to the cast-aw&y sailor; could one humane life be saved by such a course, or information gained how others have gone, it would be ample satisfaction for the little expense it would take to carry the whole thing out. To have this very interesting coast surveyed without further loss of time is a public duty. From the degree of south latitude 43deg. 33sec. to 46deg. lOseo., a distance of 160 miles of said coast affords fifteen places of shelter, where vessels in distress, when put to the last push—in case of shifting ballast, or cutting away part of their spars—would try and make, rather than experience a hopeless end on the open shore. Within the said 160 miles there is an inlet, or bay, or sound, on an average every ten miles, begining at the north end with Milford Sound, Bligh Sound, George Sound, Looking-glass Bay, Caswell Sound, Charles Sound, Nancy Sound, Thompson Sound, Doubtful Inlet, Gaol Sound, Dagg Sound, Breaksea Sound, Dusky Bay or Sound, Chalky Inlet, and Preservation Inlet; in nearly the whole of these places a vessel under jury-masts, and otten in full gear, would seldom gain an anchorage, both because of the wind falling light, changeable, and becoming calm on approaching the high land, and the soundings being so deep that vessels cannot find anchorage close up to the rocks, unless by getting to a cove at the head of one of those extensive inlet* of the sea, which in most cases can only be done by towing or steam. Unlike the whaleship, coasters can do little at towing, and would only become a wreck after the last strain of seamanship in picking out a soft place, which too often proves hard enough to grind the strongest ship up in a few minutes. It is about four months ago since the above-named vessels left Hokitika, and have not been heard of since. The Mary and William, barge, of Williamstown, Captain Evan Griffiths, left Hokitika about the tame time as the Sangalier, also bound to the Molyneux, arrived safe, and left the Molyneux again on the 16th December. Captain Griffiths reports that there were heavy westerly gales blowing for several days after the Sangalier left Hokitika, and it is just likely that the Sangalier may hare got as far south before the gale began as to get ooe of the said harbours formed between the mountains under her lee, where her crew may yet be unable to get away of themselves." The Saxonia, s.s., arrived at Gladstone, Queensland on Feb. 12, with the report that she had seen an American [built ?]ship in flames off Lady Elliot Island, at the entrance to Hervey's Bay, which lies about half-way between Brisbane and Rockhampton. The captain reports that he could see no signs of the crew of the ship, and he therefore supposed that she had been abandoned. The Sultana, ship is due at Hervey's Bay, from Liverpool, with immigrants; and it is feared that it may be her the Saxonia saw. The Sultana, which is a St. John's built ship, of 1,204 tons burthen, sailed from Liverpool on the 4th of November, Captain Thomas Williams commander; surgeon superintendent, Dr. Campbell, assisted by Miss Carver, matron. The Sultana is the sixty-eighth vessel that has sailed under the land-order system of emigration, under the immediate direction of the Queensland Government. She contained, when she left Liverpool, 558 souls, divided in paying, assisted, and free passengers, and consistmg of 468 members of families, thirteen single men, and seventy-seven single females. The immigrant ship Sultana, above referred to, has arrived safely at Hervey's Bay. Seventy-seven deaths occurred during the passage, and sickness is still prevalent on board. —Argus, March 2.