8

H.—ls

Captain Wilcox, Assistant Superintendent of Mercantile Marine and Surveyor of Ships at Lyttelton, has been appointed an Examiner to enable him to conduct the examinations during the absence of Captain Marciel on leave, and Mr. A. E. Maoindoe, Surveyor of Ships, has been appointed an Examiner of Engineers. Appended arc the reports of the Principal Examiner of Masters and Mates and lists of certificates issued during the year. Registration of Shipping, Mr. I!. I!. Walter, a Customs officer at Nelson, has been appointed a Surveyor of Ships m> that he may measure ships for registration. Returns are appended showing tin' vessels registered in New Zealand cm the -list December last, and the numbers of seamen and buys employed on them. Survey of Ships. —During the year certificates have been issued for 289 steamers, 82 oilengine vessels, ami IT intercolonial sailing-vessels. In future all oil-launches and all sailingvessels over ."> tons register engaged in the coastal trade will have to be surveyed annually, as this is made compulsory by the Shipping and Seamen Amendment Act. 1909. These surveys will considerably increase tin , work of the Surveyors. Arrangements have been made with the United Stales and Canada under which New Zealand recognizes passenger or survey certificates issued in those countries, ami they recognize our certificates. The following limns have been defined to be river and extended river limits for steamers: Nelson : Itiver limits to be the waters of the harbour inside the Boulder Hank. Lyttelton : Extended river limits for fishing-boats to be between STotunau Island and Akaroa. The Life-saving Appliances Liules have been amended in regard to the equipments for Collapsible and other boats and life-rafts; as to the mode of stowing boats on passenger and emigrant ships when they carry eight or more boats; providing that chocolate which forms part of the provisions for boats must contain not less than 15 per cent, of cocoa-mass, and not less than 35 per cent, of cane svgar —the other ~2i) per cent, can be arrowroot or other substance. The brigantine "Eliza Firth' , was found to be unseaworthy at Kaipara, and was detained until the necessary repairs were executed. Prosecutions were instituted by the Department in the following cases: The master of the s.s. " Wlaikana," for carrying too many passengers. He was lined £1 and costs. The master of the oil-launch " Malieno," for carrying too main' passengers. lie was lined £1 and costs. T. I , '. Hartley, .1. Ilancy, and John Teihi. for carrying too many passengers in their licensed boats in Hokianga Barbour They were each lined Is. and costs. I. Blundell was lined 10s. and costs For a similar offence. The master of the scow " Bauturu," for going to sea without the life-belts required by the regulations. A tine of £"> ami costs was imposed. Deri; Cargo. —The duty of issuing licenses for the carriage of deck cargo Las, b\ the Shipping and Seamen Amendment Act, 1!)()9, been transferred from Collectors of Customs to Superintendents of Mercantile Marine. In order to prevent vessels carrying more cargo on deck than allowed by their licenses, arrangements have been made for them to be inspected before sailing. Ihe performance of this duty has necessitated the appointmeni of another Surveyor at Auckland. owing to the large number of vessels that have to be inspected at that port. The appointment has been conferred upon Captain C. M. Renaut. The regulations governing the carriage of deck cargo have been consolidated and amended so as to bring them up to date. Deceased Seamen's Estates. —Moneys belonging to the estates of twentj -two seamen, amounting to £135 IDs., have been received .Inline- the year, and the sum of £136 <)s. Bd. has been paid to relatives and other claimants. The sun: of tI (J Bs. 'id., which has remained unclaimed for over six years, has been paid into the Public Account. Wrecks and Casualties. —Tables showing the casualties to ships and an analysis thereof are appended. Those on or near the coasts of the Dominion i,umbered 7(i. representing 29,063 tons register, as compared with 83, of 4T,S-"i7 tons register, iv the previous year. The total wrecks within the Dominion were •>, of 1,110 tons register, as compared with 11, of 4,517 tons register. in the previous year. The number of lives lost was 7. as compared with in the previous year. Of the lives lost. •'! were from the " Jessie Niccol." wrecked at Macquarie Island, one from the " G-lenshee," outside New Zealand, and one each from the s.s. " Warrimoo," s.s. " Rarawa," and s.s. " Maori.' in the three cases last mentioned the persons who lost tneir lives were passengers who disappeared during the voyage. Appended is a wreck chart showing where the casualties occurred. Coaxial Dangers. Captain Bollons, of the s.s. " Binemoa," discovered and surveyed an uncharted rock three-quarters of a mile south-west of Parrot Island, Dusky Sound. He also surveyed a shoal near Ihe entrance to Paterson's Inlet, a rocky patch off the Cheviot Coast, and a rock off Evening Island. Stewart Island. Notices to Mariners giving the result of these surveys were published, and the Bydrographer to the Admiralty was notified, in order that the dangers may be shown on the charts. The Department has long been impressed with the necessity for having more soundings shown on the charts to the westward of the Three Kings and between those islands ami Cape Maria van Dieiuen, to the west of the Solanders. and to the western approach of Koveaux Strait, but hitherto it has been impossible to arrange for them to be taken. Arrangements have now, however, been made for the Antarctic vessel "Terra Nova' , to take the necessary soundings off the Three Cingl and between there and Cape Maria van Dieiuen while she is in the Dominion during the winter and spring, and. should time allow, the vessel will also take soundings in the vicinity of the Solanders and between Cape Campbell and Motunau Island.