OFFICIAL ENQUIRY.

West Coast Times, Issue 202, 12 May 1866, Page 4

OFFICIAL ENQUIRY.

Tho official enquiry into the loss of the Maria, wreckod on tho bar of the Ilokitika river ou Friday, tho 4th hist, was held boforo GL G. Fitzgerald, Esq., R.M. ; Edward Patton, Esq., collector of H. M. customs 5 and Captain ilooro, of the Alma (barquo), nautical assessor. Mr South appeared to watch tho interests of Mcssiy Hull, Finlay, and White, tho lalo ownora. Captain Rqbortson was called, and bwomi : Stated ho hold a certificate of competency from tho Board of Trado, and was master of tho Maria, a three-masted schooner, whoso tonnngo (registered) was 161 01-100, and tho propovty of Messrs Hall, Finlay and Co., merchants, of Hokitika ; tho Muria was partially insured ; was insured for L7OO in tho j Lanccston and Tamar Insurance Company j remembcrod tho 4th May ; anchored tho voasol on that day in tho Hokitika roadstead 5 had como from Molbournc j was communicated with from tho shoro as soon as it was daylight; was told thtit steam-tug Lioness would bo sent out to tow tho Maria in ; tho Lioness camo alongside botweon ten and clvcn o'clock j harbor master camo out in tho Lioness and camo on board tho Maria, aud remained all tho forenoon ; Mr Hall also camo on board ; was asked by Captain Turnbull what water tho the vessel was drawing, and told him Oft 6in 5 tho harbor-master- said it would bo high water about half-past two o'clock that afternoon 5 tho day was vory fino, and tho wind vory slight from the N. W. ; it was almost calm 5 tho Lioness returned alongsido the Maria about a quarter to one 5 Captain Turnbull thon said ho would go in on tho Lionoss and sound the bar boforo tho Maria iv ; tho Lioness again returned alongsido tho Maria at about five minutes past two o'clock 5 hailed Captain Turnbull (he was on tho bridge of the Lioness) and asked if thero was plenty of water 5 ho said " yes" ; tho Lioness baukod alongside, and Captain Turnbull camo on board and took charge of the vessel j tho harbor maßtor gavo all orders ; hoard him givo tho orders to tho man at tho wheel 5 tho anchor was up very shortly after Captain Turnbull got on board ; tho Maria was lying about a milo or a milo and 11-half ir&Ri the bar ; tho Maria was taken in tow by the Lioness, and cros&oil tlo bar in safoty 5 about 300 yards on tho inside of tho bar, and on tho north spit tho Maria went on shoro j 110 0110 gave ordor3 besides tho harbor master from tho time tho vessel crossed tho bar until sho wont on shoro ; tho Maria steered exceedingly woll ; his opinion as to tho reason of tho Mariagoing on ahoro was that tho Lioness took her in tow 100 Into for tho tide ; bolioved tho tide had already fallen fifteen inches when tho Lioness started to tow tho Maria in j Captain Turnbull promised to bring a stoam boat down tho next tido to ondoavor to get tho vossol' off; when tho tido began to riso tho Maria floated forward and thon slowed round broadside on to. tho beach. That was about half-past ton o'clock that night. It was a very high tido that night. Thoro was no steamor thoro. No stcamor came clown to her assistance subsequently. It was not possible to communicate with the shoro and ask for assistance Depended ou the arrangements* mado with Captain Turnbull. On tho morning of tho sth commenced to got tho cargo out. Tho vessel was a total wreck, tho water flowing in and out of hor. Tho cargo was badly damaged. Tho Maria has boon previously Btrandod at Hokitika, but was got oft' again. Tho captain of tho Lioness told me ho would not tako tho vessel in tow unless tho harbor master wished him to do so. Cross-examined by Mr South : Captain Turnbull told the man at tho wheel to be guided by him; told him to watch hia hand} tho helmsman was guided iv that way ; CaptainTurnbull stood all tho time on the deok-houso of tho Maria ; at tho time tho vessel grounded thoro was no conversation botweon himself and Captain Turnbull j boforo the Mari* was taken in low by tho Lioness, had said to Captain Turnbull, " If you think it best to tako somo of tho oargo out of hor do so;" tho helmsman obeyed promptly all orders givou by Captain Turnbull during tho timjo lie was taking tho Maria in ; when tho vessel returned on tliis, hor last voyage, fro.n Melbourne,, sho was a better vessel in overy respect than sho had been for years, because of tho thorough ronair she* had undorgono in Melbourne, at an expense of of ovor £300.' '

Tho enquiry was thon adjourned until ono o'clock on Monday^ tho 14th instant.