49

H.—ls

7—H. 15.

o 5ept. I 16 I Tainui, s.s., 16 Ketch . . 59 years | ! 18 Flora, s.s., 37 years Schooner 818 23 I Young Bungaree, Schooner 2 s.s., 36 years 9 37 4 37 4 General lenzine General Frozen meal General General General Fire ; total loss. . Machinery defect ; trifling Struck breastwork ; damage, £20 Stranded; slight it damage Loss of life Collision ; no dam age Collision; damage, £60 Stranded ; no dam age Sprung a leak; trifling damage Machinery defect ; trifling Struck breastwork ; damaee, £20 t i1 y J 8 1 Xear Shag Rock, Gore Bay Hauraki Gulf Auckland Harbour .. I i Bar, Wairoa River .. Hicks Bay Whangarei River Sand-bank, Otago Harbour At sea, near Chathams I W. E. S.W. S.W. W. Light .. Light .. Light .. f i T . I Strong & squally J. Gale .. Light . 1 The vessel left Lyttelton for Wanganui with | a cargo of 1,808 cases of benzine which were in a leaky condition, and when off Gore Bay an explosion took place setting fire to the vessel, and the crew were forced to take to the boats, which were unfortunately capsized in the heavy sea and, with exception of one, all were drowned. The Court found — (a) That the regulations regarding shipment and carriage at sea of petroleum were not complied with ; (b) that due care was not exercised in the stowage of the petroleum on the said ship ; (c) that the said ship was not safe and suitable for the reception and convej'ance of petroleum ; (</) that the tins and cases containing the petroleum were leaking to such an extent as to render it unsafe for the ship to put to sea ; (e) that all the life-saving appliances, with the exception of the lifeboat, were efficient and available. The lifeboat was available, but was too light in construction and had insufficient floor-space Feed-valve chest was found to be leaking, and vessel put back to Auckland for repairs While berthing at the Ferry Wharf the tug struck a pile and the breastwork, the bottom of her stem being broken. The master steamed her to Freeman's Bay and beached her. She was here patched up and towed to the Harbour Board slip for repairs. The accident was due to the engineer mistaking an order, and going ahead instead of astern When crossing the bar several heavy seas came on board and caused the vessel to drift on to the beach A passenger named E. Yorke was missed whilst the vessel was at anchor in Hicks Bay, and is supposed to have been lost overboard. The launch, which was showing no lights, attempted to cress the steamer's bows and was cut to the water's edge abaft the port beam Vessel grounded owing to heavy squall striking her when she had no way on and was in ballast Vessel met with heavy gale which shifted the surf-boat and jambed the steering-gear, and she broached to, shipping heavy seas. She took a big list to starboard, and the water came into the engini -room and extinguished the fires. Constant baling by crew and passengers kept the ship afloat, and, the weather having moderated, she was got under weigh and beached at Whangaroa, where the leak was located and repaired. The vessel was refloated and proceeded on her voyage to Waitangi. Chatham Islands J. C. Cowan. E. Vellenoweth. Oct. i Echo, aux., 14 , Schooner 99 years 9 Frozen meat t Stranded; slight damage E. Light . . 15 Frozen meat .8. M. Carpenter, 12 Mako, s.s., 5 years Schooner 247 General General Loss of life S. Jones. 14 Kanieri, s.s., 34 Schooner 115 vears 14 Tui. oil-launch .. Cutter . . 2 20 Westmoreland, s.s., Schooner 6,099 2 years i 15 4 15 4 110 General General Collision ; no damage Collision; damage, £60 Stranded ; no damJ rl i 1 1 A. Johnson. y | F. Franich. W. R. D. Cornwall. 110 ; S.W. ! Strong & squally age 23 Kahu, s.s., 33 years Schooner 96 13 14 General General Sprung a leak; trifling damage ! S.W. Gale .. J. Lowry. 13 I I 1 I . i I i