THE ANTIPODES WRECK.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10219, 13 December 1893, Page 6

THE ANTIPODES WRECK.

NAUTICAL ENQUIRY. I Pkh Pbkss Association.! WELLINGTON. Dec. 11. On board the Hinemoa last, night, the Premier, on behalf of th* passengers who we?® on the vessel on the recent trip to ;■ the Antipodes, presented Captain Fairchild with a number of valuable books. Mr Seddon said that he intended to give effect to tho recommendations made by Captain Fairchild «s to placing finger-posts on Autinodoa Island, and a second depdfc would also bo placed on tho Auckland ■lsland*. It is understood that tho Premier has communicated with the Admiralty. with a new of getting a warship to call at tho L'lancla in the intervals between the visits of the Hinemoa. An enquiry into the loss of the Spirit or the Dawn was held to-day before tho Resident Magistrate and Captain Adams. After bearing tho details of the disaster, which v/eio similar to the story already published, the Court held that there was sio evidence to show how the vessel came into the position, and expressed the opinion'that all hands Had done all they could.under the circumstances to save life. The judgment of the Court in the Spirit of vho Dawn inquiry was as follows: "That tho Spirit of the Dawn was well found and was lost on sthe morning of Sept. 4 last on-' Antipodes Island. The v, sscl's position was ascertained on Ki-pts- 1; but between that date and the LWpffnratf of tho casualty only ou© sight was obtained, via,, on Sopt. 3. The eight ■was nob reliable. The master, according to hie reckoning, wonld have passed well clear of the island. The weather was thick and foggy, and there is no evidence to niiow how the: vessel came into the position in which she was." The Court nrtdsd that in its opinion the survivors did >•11 teat could be done to save tho lives of ' lucre lost with the vessel.