H.—ls.

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

30

Date of Casualt\. Name of Vessel, also Age and Class. Rig. a coco Dn *i ca fin Number of ,ture of e of Casualty. Number _ of Lives lost. Place where Casualty occurred. Wind. Decisio of Court of Inquiry, &c. Name of Master. | Passeng gers. Cargo. Direction. Force. 1903. Nov. 7 Felicitas (Norwegian), 29 years Barque .. 699 12 Coal Sprung a leak Lat. 33° 80' S.; long. 152° 56' E. On voyage from Newcastle, N.S.W., to Panama S.E. Moderate gale Heavy sea from S.E. caused the ship to labour and strain. She sprung a leak making 5 in. an hour. One of the pumps broke down in Cook Straits, and crew protested against ship proceeding on her voyage. She put into Wellington on 26th November, and was surveyed. Cost of repairs being excessive, owner directed her to be sold on his account Loss of ship was due to master placing too much reliance on the pilot, and not taking precautions to ascertain his exact position in the midst of dirty and thick weather. His certificate was returned to him, and he was ordered to pay £15 lis., costs of inquiry The death of Horace Buckeridge was caused by his falling from the mast on to the deck Collision caused through Mr. Hunter's launch not carrying lights, and not being in charge of person competent to navigate amongst other vessels. Look-out man on "Sterling" ought to have seen and reported lauuch sooner than he did. Court exonerated Captain Murray from all blame, and considered that he acted with great promptitude in reversing engines on alarm being given, and in efforts to save life. Mr. Hunter ordered to pay £4 14s. costs Casualty caused through "John Anderson" keeping too close to Eastern Mole, and, from a point near end thereof, making a diagonal course across the entrance, and the " Ellen Ballance " keeping too close to Eastern Mole when coming in, and her master misjudging possibility of avoiding collision by putting wheel to starboard. Masters of vessels ordered to pay each halfcosts of inquiry S.s. " Rotomahana" left Queen's Wharf at 9.20 p.m. for Lyttelton, and came into collision with the "Jessie Niccol," which was lying at anchor. Latter vessel's light was of an inferior kind and faulty. Harbour Board officials should have made provision for berthing schooner earlier. No blame attached to master and officers of " Rotomahana." Master of "Jessie Niccol" deserving of censure as regards anchor-watch kept by him. Certificates returned. No order made as to costs Andreas Andersen. 11 Benavon, 19 years General Stranded; total loss IJ miles south of Cape Palliser Lighthouse S.E. Fresh breeze George Thomas Dixon. Barque .. 1434 21 Dec. 4 Kia Ora, yacht Loss of life only 1 At sea, on voyage from Gisborne to London Strong .. Horace Buckeridge. Joseph Murray. Cutter .. 2 . 14 Sterling, s.s., 12 years Cutter .. 26 7 5 Collision; no damage . 14 Oil launch Stores .. Collision ; total loss Mangawbare, Northern Wairoa, Auckland Calm Jeffrey Hunter. » 18 Ellen Ballance, s.s., 14 years Collision; slight damage Entrance of mole, Lyttelton Inner Harbour Charles William Wallis Groves. . 18 John Anderson, s.s., 12 years Schooner 36 60 General Collision ; partial loss Calm Patrick McConville. . 19 Rotomahana, b.s., 25 years Sohooner General Collision; no damage Walter Manning. 863 45 294 200 ft. S.E. by S. from man - of - war buoy, Wellington Harbour . 19 Jessie Niocol, 32 years Collision ; partial loss N.E.; Light .. W. A. Smith. Schooner 93 Pollard & bricks