H.—lsa

No. 17.—Return of Vessels surveyed for Seaworthiness— continued.

56

Date of Survey. Same of Vessel. Where surveyed. Nature of Casualty, &c 1907. >ee. 5, 6, 9 S.s. Kaikoura Dunedin This vessel was on a voyage from Cape Town to Port Chalmers ; whilst steaming up the Lower Harbour on the 29th November she grounded at the new cut at 9 a.m. At 9 p.m. on the same day, after discharging a portion of her cargo, she was refloated. The ballast-tanks were examined by the Surveyor, and the bottom of the vessel by a diver. No repairs were necessary. This vessel had a home-trade certificate. As the owners desired to have it altered to foreign-going, she was surveyed for same, and the boats provisioned accordingly. On the 10th December this vessel arrived at the Taranaki Street Wharf from New York, when a fire occurred in No. 1 hold among the cargo. No repairs to the vessel were necessary, as the fire was confined to a portion of the cargo under No. 1 hatchway, and the vessel had received no damage. As it was desired that this vessel should make a voyage from Port Chalmers to Newcastle, N.S.W., her Victorian certificate having nearly expired, she was surveyed for seaworthiness until her return to New Zealand for a complete survey. On a voyage of this vessel from Collingwood to Motueka, about the 20th December, it was noticed that there was a small hole through one of the planks in the bottom of the vessel, and that the plank had started from its fastenings. To enable the vessel to proceed from Motueka to Nelson temporary repairs were effected. Since her arrival in Nelson, instead of going on the slip for repairs, she has been laid up. Whilst proceeding from Wellington to Greymouth on the 2nd January, this vessel met with an accident to her propeller and rollingchocks at the Greymouth breakwater. There was a high wind and a heavy sea with a strong tide at the time, and she grazed the side of the breakwater as she was entering the harbour. About 15 ft. of the starboard rolling-chock was damaged and the rivets sprung. Some fifty rivets were renewed. The two propeller-blades which were damaged —one having about 14 in. broken off the point of the blade, and the other directly opposite having 8 in. broken off—were replaced by two spare blades, and the nuts cemented. This vessel arrived from Picton at Nelson on the 28th January. Whilst she was berthing she collided with the wharf, damaging her bulwarks. The distance from the wharf was misjudged in the darkness. Three bulwarkplates with butt-straps and two angle-iron stanchions from the main deck to the boatdeck were renewed, and one plate in the sheerstrake was patched. The wooden rail round the bulwarks and the cement in the waterway were renewed where damaged. This vessel was purchased by the Invercargill Shipping Company, who found it necessary to out a hatch in the after deck. There had been a companion-way there, and to obtain hatch-area another deck-beam was cut. This was compensated for by heavy coamings. The crew-accommodation was increased to carry five seamen, by moving the forward bulkhead aft 2 ft. Equipments were put on board for home trade. A new propeller-shaft was fitted, of a largerdiameter than the old one. On the 4th February, during the voyage from Wellington to Lyttelton, one blade of the propeller was broken off close to the pro-peller-boss, caused by a flaw in the blade. A new propell'T was fitted, the shaft being in good order. „ Talune Dunedin lee. 9 leo. 12 „ Lord Stanley Wellington „ Kaiapoi .. Dunedin leo. 13 leo. 27 Oban (schooner) Motueka 1908. Jan. 6, 13 .. S.s. Mapourika Wellington ran. 29, 3) „ Pateena .. Wellington „ Dorset s' fan. 27, 31 Dimedin ,, Torgauten Lyttelton Jan. 31 Feb. f> „ Maori Lyttelton