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Jig. 3 50 1 Tongariro, s.s., 16'years Schooner j5,220| 96 General Stranded; total loss Bull Rock, off Portland N.E. Light .. The wreck of the vessel was primarily caused j Harry Mai Island, N.Z. by the default of the chief officer, Percy : peace. John Ballard, in failing to take the ordinary precaution of verifying the position of the vessel when off Table Cape. Had this been done the disaster would not have occurred. That, considering the master was responsible for the safe navigation of the ship, and with his knowledge of the coast and the danger of approaching and passing Bull Rock in the darkness, a duty lay upon him to ascertain, after passing Table Cape, whether the vi ssel was on the course laid off, and in only making a general inquiry from the chief officer at 6.45 p.m. (ten minutes before she struck) as to the vessel's position he failed to discharge that duty, and thus contributed to the loss of the vessel. The Court suspended the master's certificate for six months and that of the chief officer for three months, and they were also ordered to pay part of the cost of the inquiry as follows : The master £10, and the chief officer £3 Blind Bay .. . . S.W. j Light . . Leak developed at joint of furnace, back end j J. Mawson. l 1 „ 30 Mapourika, s.s., 18 years Schooner 718 50 | 44 General General Leak in boilers; trifling damage Stranded; total loss Sept. 2 Stormbird, s.s., 62 years Schooner 129 14 3 Entrance to Wanganui W.N.W. 1 Fresh The vessel was in light trim, and when leaving j A.L.Gibson. River breeze the Wanganui Rivet a sea struck her bow and threw her broadside on towards the north mole, and as there was not sufficient sea room for her to recover she was driven by wind and current on to the south mole, where she struck and became a total wreck. The Court found that no blame was attributable to the master, officers, or pilot Entrance to Bluff Har- S. Gale .. Whilst being towed into harbour the vessel F. W. Tellick. bour took a sudden sheer to port and went aground before she could be straightened up. The Court found that the stranding was a pure misadventure of the sea, and that the captain and officers were in no way to blame. The vessel has since been refloated Hauraki Gulf .. S.W. Squally The vessel was found floating bottom up off : G. Davis. Whangapara, Great Barrier Island, on the 19th September. She is supposed to have sprung a leak and capsized. All search possible was made for the missing crew, but without success 14 Antiope, 50 years Barque 1,380 16 | Timber, &e. Stranded; partial loss F. W. Tellick. Vesper, aux. scow, 14 years 3 Lime .. Capsized; damage, £400 About Sept. 14 Schooner 201 Lime .. G. Davis. i