FL—l5

56

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

Date of Vessel's Name, Age, Casualty. and Class. I Big. •si Number of Nature of Number of Lives lost. Place where Cas occurred. Win Direction. I Wind. od. Force. Finding of Court of Inquiry. Name of Master. §j PassenQ gets. Cargo. Casualty. I 1912. May 16 | Kotuku, s.s., 12 years j Coal and timber i I Mouth of Grey River.. j N.W. Light .. Auxiliary schooner 662 22 Stranded ; total loss Whilst proceeding down the river the steering- ! gear jammed, causing the vessel to deflect I from her course and strike the north tip-head-She afterwards backed out, crossed the river full speed astern, struck the south trainingwall and stripped her propeller. Being thus rendered helpless, and having either carried away her anchors or stripped the flukes, she drifted across the bar and stranded on the north tip-head. The Court considered that the master, in proceeding full speed from the wharf to the position where the steering-gear jammed, did not act with due prudence, and was guilty of negligent navigation; that after the vessel struck on the north tip-head the master broke down and collapsed; that the mate, James Edward Carrick, then took charge, and in the opinion of the Court the subsequent striking of the vessel on the south training-wall and becoming a total wreck was mainly due to his want of coolness and judgment When approaching the wharf the engines failed to stop the vessel in time to avoid a collision John Christian. j I i . : . I j I i i I j I i ,, 16 J Rotoiti, s.s., 14 years General I General 12 J General 5 i General ] General .. J Coal .. I Bricks .. i General Collision with breakwater ; slight damage Stranded; slight damage J Collison; damage, £5 Collision; no damage Sprung a leak; trifling damage Collision with wharf; slight damage Capsized; trifling damage Loss of life .. New Plymouth Schooner 630 26 John Flynn. 17 ] Haupiri Schooner 452 Barrett's Beef, Wellington Heads s. Strong .. When leaving Wellington Harbour a heavy rain-squall obscured all lights and landmarks, and the vessel touched the reef. The Court found that the master committed an error of judgment in not anchoring when he found the lights obscured, and he was ordered to pay the costs of the inquiry When going alongside the wharf the launch j ran into the " Kaipatiki," doing slight I damage The vessel is a new one, and the caulking in one of the seams started, causing a leak When berthing at No. 5 wharf her port anchor fouled No. 4 wharf. Casualty attributed to shadows cast by the moon Vessel was left at anchor, but was apparently 1 eaking, and eventually filled and capsized A steerage passenger named Thomas Banks was missed on the voyage between Auckland and Wellington, and is supposed to have been lost overboard Vessel proceeding from Kawhia to Kaipara was found to be leaking, and being driven back, made for Wellington, where she put put in for repairs J. Morrison. 30 „ 17 Kaipatiki, s.s., 5 years „ 17 Centaur, 1 year Cutter .. 20 3 ) j t Wharf, Albany, Auckland Harbour Light j P. McElwain. Oil launch 6 2 W.N.W. C. Hunter. June 1 Hawera, s.s., 1 year „ 8 I Canopus, s.s., 9 years Schooner 100 10 Off Stephens Island .. Lyttelton Harbour .. N.W. Moderate T. M. Jackson. Schooner 835 26 Calm T. A. Gibbons. 6 Lady of the Lake, 36 years ,, 15 j Nairnshire, s.s. Schooner 19 2 j Auckland Harbour .. S.E. Strong .. W. Lang. Schooner 3,679! 1 i I Between Auckland and Wellington N.W. Moderate Charles Forder ; I N.W. Gale .. Schooner I H. W. Vile. ,, 16 ! Ngaru, 14 years (>6 : 5 Sprung a leak ; slight damage i Lat. 37° 33' S-, Long. 174° 15' E. j !