H.—ls.

Return of Wrecks and Casualties to Shipping reported to the Marine Department from the 1st April, 1913, to the 31st March, 1914.

44

Datb of Casualty Vessel's Name, Age, and Class. Rig. If Xui iber of Natur of Number Place where Casualty occurrei Wind. Finding of Court of Inquiry. Name of Master. Passengers. Cargo. Casualty. Lives lost. Direction. Force. I I I I I 1 1913. Mar. 15 Hinemoa, 8 years Oil launch 6 Fire: total loss Through a leakage of benzene an explosion occurred, and vessel was totally destroyed Whilst approaching wharf vessel touched a sandbank and remained -fast until flood tide Whilst fitting new reversing gear a workman dropped a lighted candle into the bilge, where oil caught fire Vessel missed stays and went ashore A. H. Chadwick. 2 Dargaville Calm .. ,. 23 Maunganui.s.s., 1 year Turanga, o.e.v., 3 years Schooner I 4,542 136 137 General Stranded ; no damage Fire; £100 damage Otago Harbour E. L. C. H. Worrall „ 27 Cutter .. 19 v . Wharf, Auckland Harbour J. S. Clark. „ 29 Huon Belle, 49 years The Peregrine, s.s., 2 years Makara, s.s., 5 years Manaroa, s.s., 16 years Ketch .. Shingle Stranded; £130 damage Collision; trifling damage Fire; no damage Struck submerged object partial loss Stranded ; slight damage D i s m a sted ; £50 damage Collapse of furnace crowns; £2,500 damage Waiheke Island N. Strong.. J. Regan. 42 3 „ 31 Ferryboat Schooner 162 4 Nil Queen Street Wharf, Auckland 70 miles east from Sydney French Pass N. Light .. When berthing the deck-awning came in-con-tact with s.s. " Opawa's " quarter Fire broke out in mail-room ; cause unknown T. Clark. April 7 4,921 199 General S.E. Gale .. H. A. llorrisby. „ 18 Schooner 92 11 11 General S.E. Fresh .. The Court found that the vessel struck some submerged object and sustained damage which necessitated her being beached Missed stays and went ashore J. G. Gilbertson. „ 25 Kaiaia, o.e.v., 4 years Triton, 35 years Ketch .. 24 .■! General Auckland Harbour .. E. Strong.. W. S. Davies. May 4 Barque 688 12 Guano Lat. 19° 38' S., Long. 156° 19' W. Auckland Harbour .. W. Moderate Encountered a heavy cross sea which caused main top-gallant mast to carry away The collapse of the furnaces was entirely due to shortness of water in the starboard boiler caused by excessive " scumming " by the second engineer, whose certificate was suspended for three months. The chief engineer was guilty of neglect of duty in failing to see that the test cocks were kept in working-order and in delegating to a greaser his duties in regard to filling of the boilers. He was ordered to ppy the cost of the inquiry The cause of the stranding was the strong westerly wind. The Court considered that the stranding was not due to or contributed to by negligence or default of the master or officers, but that the master committed an error of judgment in not heading more to the westward and at going at too low a rate of speed considering the force of the wind and weather-conditions Whilst loading on beach the wind changed and vessel could not be hauled off J. Nicholaisen. „ 6 Wakatere, p.s., 17 years Ferryboat 157 :sl> 127 General W. Sullivan. „ 10 On Rangitikei Beach A. £. Holling worth. Indrabarah, s.s.. 3 years Schooner 4,664 07 General Stranded ; extensive damage W. Strong.. Ranger, 20 yeai 9 Paparoa, Auckland Harbour .1. Williams. t> 19 Schooner 64 Shingle Damaged bulwarks ; £40 damage Stranded ; no damage W. Strong.. 22 Kapuni, s.8., 3 years Schooner General Patea River S.E. Fresh .. When entering the river the ebb-tide and ourrent caused the vessel to run aground W. Molntosh. 97 10