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Approximate Cost of Paper. — Preparation, not given ; printing (1,650 copies) £33 19s. 6d

Return of Wrecks and Casualties to Shipping reported to the Marine Department— continued.

By Authority: John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.— 1903. Price Is.]

Date of Casualty. Name of Vessel, also Age and Class. Kig. CO CD ■h. ca .h a cca QJ o Number of .ture of Number of Lives lost. Place where Casualty occurred. Wind. Decision of Court of Inquiry, &c. Name of Master. Passeng gers. Cargo. Casualty. Direction. Force. I 1903. tTjJan. 31 Gladys, 12 years Barque.. 1344 20 Wool Stranded; slight damage Kaite Beach, Poverty Bay I N.W. | Gentle and breeze S.W. At time of lifting anchor wind was N.W., but before vessel gathered headway wind Bhifted to W.S.W. and canted her the reverse way on to the port tack. Yards were then thrown aback to send her head off, and as soon as she appeared not to go off anchor was let go. Shortly after she grounded forward Accident occurred through great rush of stormwater breaking the backing-rope of kedge off port bow, and kedge dragged home. Vessel was then swept with great force on to the rocks on starboard side of creek. Court found that the officers were free from all blame in the matter; but that the fire was not the result of accident but of design, although there was not sufficient evidence beyond a suspicion to point out those who carried out the design Vessel touched rocks during fog. Master appears to have done all he could to find his position : navigating with all caution, sounding, and going slow, and being himself on the look-out Casualty caused by wind failing Alexander Bedward Foote. H- 1 I Feb. 5 Ngaru, 5years.. Stranded ; partial loss Big River, Kahurangi Point From N.E. Francis Fletcher. Schooner 66 General 6 Maohrihanish, 19 years Ship .. Wool .. Fire on board ; partial loss Ernest Laurence And on. 11641 26 Alongside W T ool-wharf, Wellington Harbour 17 Wakatu, s.s., 25 years Schooner 95 14 General Stranded; no damage Davidson's Rock, North Bay, Kaikoura Peninsula Calm James Wifls. 21 Lizzie Taylor, 10 years Penguin, s.s., 38 years Ketch .. Flour .. Stranded; on damage Stranded; partial loss South Spit, Wanganui • Bar Wailii Point, Jackson's Head Thomas Lowery 77 5 N.W. 26 Schooner 517 40 53 General Calm.. Stranding due to dense fog enveloping ship at a critical time when nearer land than on her usual course. This nearness was due to current. Master and offioers were acquitted of all blame, and Court considered tneir conduct alter the occurrence worthy of all praise Thick weather obscured the light at Cape Farewell, and an undue set of the current seems to have taken vessel too far east on her course Shoe connecting outer stern-post breaking, caused outer stern-post to break off at the bottom of the rudder-trunk, carrying the rudder away with it. Cause of shoe breaking supposed to be striking submerged log of wood Charles McArthur. i 26 Rimu, s.s., 4 years Schooner 144 16 Ballast.. Stranded; no damage 1 mile east of Farewell Spit Lighthouse N.N.W. John Abraham Bergquist. March 24 Nambucca, s.s., 5 years Schooner 74 4 General Damage to stern-post Grey's Reach, Opawa River Calm.. William George North. 11