SHIPPING SUMMARY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 7947, 2 December 1886, Page 2

SHIPPING SUMMARY.

The colonial shipping trade to tins port during the past month has been very brisk, the Home trade being about tbe same as that of the preceding month- The R.M.S. Tongariro, which was mentioned in the last Summary as having arrived at Port Chalmers Heads, came on here the same day, arriving at 3.15 pm on the sth November. She accomplished the passage from Plymouth to Taiaroa Heads in 89 days 17 hours 30 minutes, her actual steaming time being 38 days 10 hours and 30 minutes. She brought a full complement of passengers (286 in all), 60 of whom were saloon, 71 second saloon, and 166 third class. . She brought 2000 tons of cargo for all ports. On the same day, about two hoars later, the H.M.3. Miranda, from Sydney en route for England, arrived here. The Miranda was called Home to be refitted, her commission in these waters having expired. She had been on this station for about seven years, and during that time had visited nearly all the Islands in the Western Pacific. The Miranda sailed for England via Falkland Islands, Rio and St. Vincent, on the 11th November, and will probably arrive Home about March. The Union Company’s splendid steamer Mararoa, having been taken off the San Francisco Mail Service and put on the costal trade, arrived here at 8 a.m. on the 7th November. It being her first visit to Wellington, her arrival was looked forward to with no little interest. The Mararoa is similar to the. Wairarapa and Manapouri in build, but is about 6ft broader, and about 35ft- longer. She is without doubt the premier boat in the passenger trade, being most luxuriously fitted throughout. down to the smallest details. Her engines are 3000 horse-power, and her average speed is from 12 to 15 knots an hour. She is fitted with the latest improvements both in lighting (electric and otherwise) and machinery. The Mararoa left for Lyttelton next day, taking with her the excursionists to the Christchurch races, and extensive as her berthing accommodation i», it was taxed to the utmost. An official inquiry into the wreck of the Tui, fall particulars of which were published in the last Summary, was hold before Mr Warded, E.M., and Captains Horne and Norrie, NanticalAsseeaore, on the 10th November. Mr H. S. McKedar conducted the inquiry, and Mr Bkerrett appeared for Captain Pope. After bearing the evidence, Mr Warded gave Jadement as fodows, in which the Assessors, folly concurred:—That gross neglect, amounting to recklessness, in risking the lives and property of those entrusted to him had been shown by Captain Pope, and for these reasons his master's certificate bo cancelled, and that he Khe costs of the inquiry, The steamer went ashore at the Wairau oar as she was leaving Blenheim on the §th ultimo. After several unsuccessful attempts the Moa (which had been sent from Wellington) succeeded m towing her off, having first lightened her of the greater part of her cargo. The damage to her bottom was not very great, and she was able te take up her usual running in about a weec after the accident, having first gone on the Slip, W| bag jj rijif from ft® troopship

Thalia, bound from Sydney to Plymouth, on the Xlth November, she arriving in the harbor about 3 pm. The Thalia left Sydney about aweek after the Miranda. She came out from Home with relief crews for the H.M.3. Opal and Raven, and having transferred the relief crews and taken on board the time-expired men, she was once more homeward bound. The Thalia is a troop corvette, ship-rigged, and is one of the old class. She was built at the Government Dockyard, Woolwich, in 1869, and was the last vessel constructed there before the Docks were , devoted to other purposes. She sailed for Spitheadon the 13th ultimo, via Falkland Inlands and Rio. The R.M.S. Kaikoura sailed for London, via Rio, Madeira, and Plymouth. She Is expected to reach Home about Christmas day. She took in her meat chambers about 18,000 carcases of mutton and a full cargo beside- Her passenger liet was a small one, probably owing to tha fact that sho arrives Home in the middle of winter. The barques Phoenix and Island City, from Newcastle, arrived herein the 18th nit, after a rather rough passage. The Shaw, Saviil and Albion Company’s ship Timaru, which had been heating about the coast for about ten days before her arrival, got in at last at 3.30 p.m. on the 19th. She had an uneventful passage, with the exception of a stabbing case, which occurred when the vessel was about a fortnight from land, full particulars of which will he found in another column. The Timaru brought a quantity of gun-cotton, a locomotive, a stone-crusher, and other machinery for the Government. The barque Cormorant, from arrived hero a couple of days after the Timaru. She experienced moderate weather through the best part of the voyage, but fell in with strong B\V gales when off the Snares, causing her to ship a heavy sea, completely smashing her starboard-quarter boat, and making her labor heavily. At 8.30 pm on the 10th September, Captain Hume reports having struck very lightly on the edge of a reef to the NW of Cape San Roque. A d-ver has since, however, examined her bottom, and reports that the only damage is a small dent on her keel. She will not, therefore, have to go on the Slip. Like the Timaru, the Cormorant was several days beating around outside, and could not make harbor owing to the strong head winds. The Shaw, Saviil and Albion Company’s steamer Arawa, from Plymouth, arrived at Port Chalmers on the 21st ult. She brings 457 passengers for Now Zealand ports, comprising 52 saloon, 50 second-class, 115 third - class, and 240 immigrants. She also brought the Australian cricketers, under Mr Atkinson. Her steaming time was 39 days 13 hours and 40 minutes. She arrived at this port at 2.20 pm on the 25th, and left for Lyttelton via Napier, on the Ist instant. The Arawa is advertised to sail from Lyttelton for London on the 11th instant. Tha barque Kentish Lass, from Kimberley, arrived here at 6 pm on the 25th ultimo, bringing with her about 30 returned diggers. She left Cambridge Gulf on the 24th of October, Melbourne on the 11th November, and made Cape Farewell on the 19th. She experienced moderate weather. Full particulars about tha voyage of the Kentish Lass will be found in another column. An inquiry into the circumstances attending tha accident to the Hauroto, which occurred on the 7th November during the passage of that vessel between Foxton and Opunake, was held by Messrs G. S. Graham, J. R. George, and Captain Grant, Nautical Assessor, Mr H. S. McKeliar represented tho Customs Department. Evidence was given by Captain Harvey, John Cooper, chief mate, and E. Herbertaou and George Hamer, able seamen. The Court gave judgment as follows ; “ That the chief mate had committed an error ia judgment in keeping so close to tho sliore, and they therefore ordered that his certificate be suspended for one month, and that he pay tho cost of the inquiry.” During the past month the chapter of accidents to the vessels engaged in the shipping trade of this port have been comparatively few, when the weather that we have had ia taken into consideration. For a week or ten days we had gales blowing from all quarters of the compass, and the wonder is that tho number of casualties was not greater. On last Saturday the yachting season was opened by about 24 yachts forminga procession, and performing a series of evolutions. The manceiivres, which were a very pretty and interesting sight, were most successful, and reflects great credit on all who took part. The various signals were given from Mr B. W. Mills’ (the Rear-Commodor) yacht tha Xarifa, and the whole proceedings passed off very successfully. Tho wharf improvements still continue, and a long row of sheds in course of erection on the long tee from the wharf to the end of Brandon-street are now on a fail way to completion. When these are finished the accommodation on the Wellington wharf will be second to none in the Colony.