H.—ls.

30

Return of Wrecks and Casualties to Shipping reported to the Marine Department from the 1st April, 1923, to the 31st March, 1924.

Date of V< Casualty. 1 || Number of Nature of Number Place where Casualty occurred. Win i Direction. Wind. ad. Force. I Name of Master. Finding of Court of Inquiry. and Class. Ct rt | IPassenLives lost. Cargo. Casualty. 1923. Feb. 1 Henry J. Burke. Edna, sail, 19 years Ketch .. 15 Explosives, l9i tons Stranded; total loss, £2,000 North Parenga Bar .. N.E. lo At the Magisterial inquiry the master was exonerated, but on a rehearing before a Supreme Court Judge and two fresh assessors he was held to have committed an error of judgment in not altering course to northward and in not having the deep-sea lead handy, but the Court did not deal with his certificate and made no order as to costs When crossing bar inward was carried by heavy southerly on to beach at north of entrance. Owing to strong south-west gale blowing ship slightly grazed port bow on wetsern mole when entering breakwater under tow, but no damage was done 4V fire was discovered in starboard side No. 2 hold, and measures taken to suppress same, but flames eventually burst through the hatch, and, although subdued four hour? later, heavy smoke was seen issuing from hatch at 10 p.m. when entering Auckland, and fire was extinguished at midnight When proceeding down channel vessel stopped to avoid launch in fairway, resulting in wind causing vessel to sag to leew-ard, touch ground and. become fast A heavy sea struck vessel, damaging boats, &c., and washing sundry small gear overboard, but doing no damage to hatches or cargo Owing to smooth ground, anchor dragged and vessel drifted broadside on to reef at harbour-entrance, doing sundry damage to vessel's bottom Owing to continual shallow water on the bar, and although vessel was in the channel, she bumped on bar, crashing shelving-piece and diagonal and breaking rudder-band Owine to heavy set when entering harbour vessel refused to answer her helm, struck western wall at entrance, and was subsequently beached Elsie, o.e.v., 19 years Cement and corrugated iron Stranded Hokitika April 7 Ketch .. 24 5 W. 4 A. Ingram. „ 9 Hurunui, s.s., 2 5,871 Refrigerating and general, 2,S90 tons Collision Lyttelton S.W. 9 J. siB u r t o ri Davies. 78 years Kaikoura, s.s., 19 F. and A. Frozen meat, &c. Fire Off East Cape S.W. Fresh . . Myles M. Downton. „ 9 5,631 70 years Orepuki, s.s., 15 years General, 90 tons Stranded Lyttelton S. F. McKenzie. » 14 Schooner 225 17 Fresh .. Ngapuhi, s.s., 23 years F. and A. General, 200 tons Damaged by sea .. Off Castle Rock, Coromandel Peninsula N.E. Strong.. T. Haultain. ft 20 311 33 30 (about) » 26 Rama, s.s., 27 years Schooner 244 4 Fish, 27 tons .. Stranded Kaingaroa, Chatham Islands S.E. 6 Ed. Cartner. 21 „ 23 Motu, aux., 2 years Schooner 109 General, 150 tons Touched bar; £9 damage Opotiki Bar Calm .. W. Gash. Hay 5 Waitangi, s.s., 34 years Ketch .. Chaff and genera], 46 tons Stranded Patea S.E. Strong.. W. Bridgen. 74 11