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RETURN of Wrecks and Casualties to Shipping reported to the Marine Department from the 1st April, 1897, to the 31st March, 1898.

Date of Casualty. Name of Vessel, also Age and Class. Eig. II Number of I Passen5 g ers - bture of Number of Lives lost. Place where Casualty occurred. Wind. Decision oi Court ol Inquiry, <fec. Name of Master. Cargo. Casualty. Direction. Force. 1897. April 16 Zuleika, 22 years, 100 Al Ship .. 1017 21 General Stranded; total loss 12 Palliser Bay, East Coast, North Island S.byW. Whole gale Wreck caused by vessel making more leeway than calculated on, and to a surface-set to the N.N.W. Master did all in his power for safety of ship during gale, and for preservation of life after the wreck Vessel's anchor and chain not heavy enough to hold her in an open roadstead, and, being flat bottomed, she was unable to beat to windward, and the master had no option but to beach her Master mistook position when wind changed at midnight; but circumstances in which he was placed were bo difficult and trying that Court could not hold him culpable. Immediate cause of accident was the sails being some blown away and some split by a sudden squall of wind Vessel drifting down river on ebb-tide struck sunken log, and was making water fast when master beached her S.S. " Duco," in coming to her berth at the Ferry Jetty, ran into the " Kestrel," berthed alongside the quay. Casualty caused through engines being put full speed ahead instead of half-speed astern, as ordered by master S.S. "Kia Ora" overtook "Ngunguru" in narrow channel and struck her on the port quarter, lifting the covering-board aft and denting the iron house Possibly caused by spark from crane-engine falling into seat of stuffed chairs prior to shipment While engaged in hauling in the mainsheet it struck Miles Newby across the stomach, knocking him overboard, and he was drowned in the rough sea Vessel put into Auckland to refit, having met with heavy gales, her decks being swept by heavy seas, and masts and sails being carried away Vessel labouring in heavy sea during four days gale John Reiach Bremner. „ 16 Rata, 16 years Schooner 46 4 None .. Stranded; partial loss Napier Roadstead E.S.E. Strong gale William Gonway. . 16 Pirate, 2 years Schooner Coal .. Stranded; total loss Portland Island Whole gale Edward A. Stenbeck. 190 E. . 25 Huon Bell, 33 years Stranded; slight damage Grahamstown, Whangarei Peter Johnson. Ketch .. 42 Goal .. May 6 6 „ 18 Duco, s.s., 5 years Kestrel, 29 years Kia Ora, s.s., 1 year Ngunguru, s.s., 4 years Kina, s.B., 20 years Ketoh .. Ketoh .. 26 51 6 4 6 None .. Produce Collision; no damage Collision; partial loss Collision; no damage Collision; slight damage Fire on board; slight damage Loss of life only I Waterloo Quay, Wellington Harbour I Fisher's Crossing, Paet roa River Railway Wharf, Helensville, Kaipara (James Jones. Henry Ashford Featherstone. I James Mowat Roberts. Edward Charles Windsor. Henry Stanaway. 150 54 . 24 Schooner 52 6 None .. June 4 Clematis Ketch .. 67 Sawn timber Off Amuri Bluff, on voyage from Havelock to Lyttelton N. Strong .. Edward Peterson. . 12 KateTatham, 34 years Barque.. 275 Coal .. Vessel strained and loss of masts, &c. Lat. 31° 20' S., long. 164° 30' E. On voyage from Newcastle N.S.W. to Napier Lat. 34° 13' S., long., 164° 10' E. On voyage from Sydney to Auckland Bar of Manawatu River E.S.E. Hurricane Edward O'Brien. . 28 Anglian, s.s., 23 years Schooner 1354 52 36 General Damage to propeller, shafting, &C. N.N.W. Heavy gale Charles Ernest Hood. July 9 Whangaroa, 4 years Schooner Coal .. Stranded; partial loss S. Moderate Casualty caused through vessel entering port without being in tow of steamer William Cozens. 132