H.—ls.

29

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

Date of Name of Vessel, Casualty. also Age and Class. Rig. "-H Number of Nature of Number Place where Casualty occurred. Wind. | Passen5 gers. Cargo. Casualty. Lives lost. Decision of Court of Inquiry, &c. Nam* of Master. Direction. Force. 1903. Sept. 15 Moa, s.s., 17 years Schooner 95 12 Ballast.. Propeller-shaft fractured and loss of propeller Collision ; no damage 4 miles S.W. J S. off Seal Rocks, outside New Plymouth W. Light .. Vessel disabled through fracture of her pro-peller-shaft and loss of propeller shortly alter leaving New Plymouth Wharf William Henry Sawyers. . 19 Westland, p.s., 19 years Cutter .. 18 The " Westland," in coming alongside the " Aratapu" to tow her into Greymouth, struck her amidships, knocking in one of her timbers and two of her planks. The " Aratapu," in heaving short, appears to have taken in too much cable, and was really adrift, though supposed to be at anchor Casualty due to bad steering by man at the wheel, assisted by action of cross currents ; but master committed an error of judgment in leaving deck so long before he opened out Zafarana Light. He was ordered to pay £15 15s. towards costs of inquiry Vessel was laid up in Wellington Harbour, when a fire was discovered in the room of the officer in charge, but how it originated there was no evidence to show Evidence disclosed no negligence on the part of the master of the vessel, whose certificate was returned to him The " Gertie " being the overtaking ship, it was her duty to have kept clear. The mate of the " Queen of the South " was in no way to blame, but, under the circumstances, he should have called the master. The master of the "Gertie" was ordered to pay all the costs of inquirv, £20 17s., with the exception of the costs incurred by the mate of the " Queen of the South " When vessel was passing Shag Point she touched a supposed uncharted rock threequarters of a mile off Danger Reef Vessel louche i on bar and sheered on to Spit before steerage- way was recovered The chief officer, C. M. Evans, acted in a very indiscreet manner in taking upon himself the responsibility of navigating the ship along a coast which was not familiar to him, without advising the master of the p >sition of the vessel, and was to blame for the loss of the ship. His certificate was suspended for twelve months, and he was ordered to pay the costs of the inquiry y jer] John Connor. 19 A ra t apu, 25 years B r i g a ntine General Collision; slight damage 2J miles west of Flagstaff, Grey River N.N.W. Light -j "John Grubb. 122 23 Rubi Seddon, s.s. (suction dredge) Cutter .. 349 17 Stranded; partial loss Lat. 29° 30' N.; long. 33° 36' E., Red Sea N. Fresh breeze Alexander Duncan. 27 Taieri, s.s., 15 years Fire ; Blight damage Wellington Harbour .. Schooner 1071 „ 27 Whakarire, s.s. (dredge), 4 months Gertie, s.s., 12 years Cutter .. 449 18 Stranded ; partial loss 200 ft. north of Scott's Rock Buoy, Torres Straits E. Light .. John Mitohell. 27 Schooner 119 Coal .. Collision ; no damage [ 1 , George Arohi- | bald Simpson. 14 „ 27 Queen of the South, s.s., 26 years Schooner Coal .. Collision; partial loss About 5 miles west of Kahurangi Point E. Light < Edward Harvey. 121 12 Oct. 25 Invercargill, s.s., 18 years Schooner 123 Timber.. Stranded ; no damage Near Danger Reef, off Shag Point Strong breeze George Alfred Marks. N.E. 31 Kapiti, s.s., 1 year Northern Monarch, 27 years Schooner 80 General Stranded; no damage Stranded; total loss Bar of Patea River S. Light .. J. Abram. 11 Nov. 7 Barque .. 1148 22 2 Coal .. Oanui River, Taranaki N.E. to N. Light .. George Nixon.