H.—ls

36

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

I'll 'I : I g §, I Number of I Nature of Number j ! Wind. Date of Vessel's Name, K - of Place where j_ ; I Finding of Court of Inquiry. I Name of Master. Casualty. Age, and Class. e oca k jp. ot! -_ I Lives Casualty occurred. " 1 Sg | | gers ' Cargo. ; Casualty. lost. | Force. " j ' j 7 I | . M ! ~ 1924. JSm April 28 Thelma, o.e.v., 20 j .. 3 1 22 | Luggage •• 1 I Both vessels left Queen st own about same time, John Edgar, years ! I I but from different wharves, the " Thelma" ! setting a course to take her through passage I . r i Ti* i j.- n i 'in reef, and the tc Riverton " a course to o ion . .. a ve a'a lpu .. a ' * > round the reef end; however, their courses converged, causing vessels to collide with „ 28 Riverton, o.e.v., 9 1 .. 5 1 24 Luggage ..I their bows and "Thelma" to heel over John Thomson, years ■ j considerably „ 28 ! Onerahi, o.e.v., 13 | Ketch .. 6 .. j Coal .. .. Fire ; total loss .. .. Off Tairua, N.Z. . . j .. | .. The Court held that the casualty was caused J. W. Brown. I- years I ! ■ by combustion of inflammable mixture of benzine-vapour and air in engine-room, such combustion being started by a hurricane - lamp left in engine-room by master to enable him to fill the tank ; that there was no evidence of negligence or wilful act by any person on board ; and that casualty could have been avoided had electric light been fitted in engine-room, or if tankfilling pipe, originally fixed from deck, had not been removed; but there was no evidence to show by whom it had been removed. Court ordered master's certificate to be returned, and made no order as to costs May 8 Waiotahi, s.s., 33 Schooner 164 19 4 General. 30 tons Grounded .. .. Parenga Harbour . . S.W. Light . . When proceeding up harbour, stake marking E. J. Wann. years i blind channel was down, resulting in vessel grounding ; but she subsequently refloated when tide rose, no damage being done to I vessel or cargo „ 10 Tarnuri, o.e.v., 8 Cutter.. 4 1 .. .. Fire; total loss, £700 j .. Auckland Harbour .. W. .. Engine back-fired, setting fire to benzine -tank: A. S. Watkin. years and, as there was no way of extinguishing the fire, vessel was scuttled, but was sub sequently raised, although a total loss „ 12 I Ngahere, s.s., 16 Schooner 556 23 .. Coal, 757 tons; Stranded; total loss .. Grevmouth Bar .. S.W. 5 The Court held that the master made all James Green. ! years timber 444 — s hip, £40.000; necessary and reasonable inquiries regarding, I tons cargo, £2,350 as well as a personal inspection of, the depth | of water on the bar, before deciding to go to sea ; that the Harbourmaster committed an error of judgment in advising the master that there was sufficient water on the bar, and in not notifying him that the " Regu- : ; . . ! ] lus," which had preceded the "Ngahere," I and was drawing 3 ft. 4 in. less, had touched the bar ; that the master and his officers were not responsible for the disaster, and were accordingly exonerated from all blame ; and that the Marine Department pay the costs of the inquiry, including ■ ! ' £12 12s. fee for the master's counsel