H.—ls.

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

48

Date of Casualty. Vessel's Name, Age, and Class. Big. £ §) j Number of |o |—; I — gg | Passen-j Cargo. _1 Nature of Number of Lives lost. Place where Casualty occurred. v Direction. find. *""' ; I Finding of Court of Inquiry. Name of Master. Casualty. Force. 1919. July 28 Laura, 30 3'ears .. Barquen- 326 11 tine Oil Stranded; damage slight West Ledge, Cook Strait The casualty was caused by a sudden gust of wind filling the sails whilst the vessel was being put about to avoid striking the rocks on the port side, and was contributed to by an error of judgment on the part of the master in attempting to make an anchorage inside the harbour in the darkness "without having sufficient knowledge of the entrance and lights, and with an inadequate chart. He should have hove to and signalled for a pilot. He was ordered to pay half the costs of the inquiry, £3 14s. The stranding was probably due to the heavy wind and sea on the previous night having silted up the channel, which on the previous day showed sufficient depth of water. The Court found that no one was to blame for the casualty Struck a snag whilst proceeding down river, and knocked three holes in hull When approaching wharf the strong flood tide and wund caused her to touch the ground and cant her into the wharf end, the ironwork on which tore away her starboard bow-plates The crank shaft and casing broke and caused damage to the machinery. Cause not known Slight fire in engine-room caused by leakage from a tin of benzine The rudder split in two vertically, and was temporarily repaired by crew Through being bumped against the wharf in the strong wind and heavy sea the vessel sustained considerable damage Strong current in river caused the vessel to take the ground. Floated off on following day The Court found that the casualty was caused by the wrongful default of the mate in failing to keep the vessel in the red sector of the French Pass light and on the course laid dowm by the master. The Court was further of opinion that the master should in the circumstances have remained on the bridge until the vessel had cleared the Piege Rocks. The master and mate were ordered to pay the cost of the inquiry, £7 17s. ! • j J j Aug. 3 Arapawa, s.s., 12 Schooner 128 ! 14 years Waitara Bar .. S.W. Fresh breeze General Stranded ; damage, £1,200 S.W. Fresh breeze E. J. Keatley. „ 5 i H. Subritzky, „ 13 Kaiaia, aux., 10 ; Ketch .. 24 3 years Pateena, s.s., 36 Schooner 550 j 55 years j 130 Cement Mails .. Struck snag ; damage, £20 Struck wharf; damage, £350 Mahurangi River Manukau Harbour .. W.S.W. Strong Strong T. B. Sewell. * 14 I Will Watch,, aux., Ketch.. \ 48 I 5 24 years Vixen, aux., 36 Ketch .. 5 4 years Haere, 16 years .. Schooner 99 5 Coal Broken shaft; damage, £300 Fire; damage, £10 Off Kawau Island J. Moura. 48 5 „ 21 5 4 Timber Off Patiki Island .. .. Calm .. F. J. Ramband. Sept. 6 99 5 General Damaged rudder Off Hokianga Bar .. E. Light .. M. Himainer. " „ 10 Rothesay Bay, 43 '< Barque | 699 years 699 Rails .. Bumped against wharf; considerable damage Stranded ; no damage King's Wharf, Willing- | S.E. Strong ton F. W. Whitton. „ 11 Te Atu, aux., 16 Cutter .. 28 3 years 28 General Mohaka River, Hawke's N.E. Strong Bay A. Knight. j „ 12 Wairau, s.s., 19 Schooner 59 9 years 59 Stranded ; damage, £80 j French Pass .. S.E. Light .. J. Knox. I f .