H.—ls.

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

40

<g g, Number of Nature of Number! J Wind. Caasnalty. ISfn/cS. **• |§ pa m " LWes CasuaTyoccuU. Djrec | Finding of Court of Inquiry. Name of Master. S2 | P^ e 3 ™" Cargo. Casualty. lost. : j 1 Force. 1926. ; : | | Nov. 17 Combine, sail, 16 F.and A. 24 j 3 Nil Timber, 29,050 ft. Bumped s.s. " Kaia- Nil j Auckland Harbour, i S.S.W. 5 ; When leaving the western wharf under lower W. J. Lang, years ! poi" N.Z. sail, moderate wind, laying head to wind, swing on stern caused new 4J in. doubled coir rope to part. Vessel not being under | command, bumped into s.s. " Kaiapoi." j Foretopmast carried away, lib and jib top- | sail torn, and one plank of port bow stove in f ' That the collision was caused by an error of j 6. Webb. ! judgment on the part of the master of the ! " Centaur," in that he left the wheel-house with no one in charge to go below to attend | to a defect in the engine, and gave no signal that his vessel was not under command. , The Court is of opinion that if the master of ; the " Centaur " had maintained his course t and speed, or had given a signal that his vessel was not under command, the collision Nov. 28 Mollyhawk, s.s., 3 F. and A. 180 j 4 Nil Vehicles • ■ 1 I i would have been avoided, and that it was years | | j ■ his failure to comply in this respect with .. Nil Auckland Harbour, i S.W. Squally <[ the regulations that caused the collision. Nov. 28 Centaur, o.e.v., 14 .. 4 I 1 10 Nil j N.Z. f : The Court is further of the opinion that the S. Hunter. years j | | J j [ j ! master of the " Centaur" acted as he did j from want of knowledge of the regulations, i and it regards it as important that oil j j engineers, before being granted a certificate i i entitling them to control a vessel carrying ] j i passengers, should be required to prove to ! j ; the Examiner of Seamanship a knowledge I j i of the rule of the road. The master of the j ] | " Centaur " will be ordered to pay £10 i ( | towards the cost of the inquiry Dec. 11 Wahine, s.s., 12 j Schooner 1.798 : 94 267 i General. 90 tons Struck wharf .. Nil Lyttelton, N.Z. .. N.W. 8 to 9 While berthing at No. 2 wharf, during N.W. ; W. D. Cameron, years ; gale with heavy squalls, the vessel blew down to the wharf. A pile caught the j : lower half of the main-deck gangwav-door, | forcing it in Dec. 12 Omana, s.s., 13 F. and A. 1,513 33 Nil Poles, 100 tons Struck wharf .. Nil j Auckland, N.Z. .. N.W. 4 When berthing, wind and tide put her inside ! J. Benton. years ! line of wharf, and she touched wharf, I damaging two plates well above water, i Could not be avoided as vessel refused to j answer helm Dec. 13 , Hikitia, s.s., 1 year Crane .. 357 18 Nil Nil .. .. Struck submerged Nil j Lat. 33-25° S., long. S.E. 4 Vessel received shock, apparently caused by J. G. FuUerton. • I object 172'32° W., Pacific striking submerged object awash. Ship Ocean examined inwardly and no indication of j I I damage found