THE STRANDED VALMARIE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18512, 24 March 1922, Page 6

THE STRANDED VALMARIE

NAUTICAL INQUIRY HELD. (From Our Own Correspondent. 1 WELLINGTON. March 23. A nautical inquiry was held to-day concerning the stranding of the schooner Valmarie on Farewell Spit on February 16. Evidence; was given that the sandbanks in the locality shifted according to the change of the weather, two master mariners stating that the chart for this reason could not altogether be relied upon. The safety margin allowed by the master of the Vilniarie was considered by witnesses to be clear cf the sandbanks shown on the chart. Similar regarding the shifting sands were made at a previous stranding. The court reserved its decision. ■ Information has been received locally from the purveyor in charge of the salvage operations .on the schooner Yalmarie at Farewell stating that the reofent heavy sea experienced &t the last spring tides damaged net so much that she is practically a total loss. Further salvage operations on the hull will be useless. Wore has now been abandoned and the salvage gear removed. The timber cargo will be removed by means M a tramway erected on the Spit, and will ■ overland tost the sohoonar.