H.-i

43

Return of Wrecks and Casualties to Shipping reported to the Marine Department from the 1st April, 1906, to the 31st March, 1907.

Date of Vessel's Name, Age, Casualty. and Class. Big. ch ai CD cji Number of Nature of Number of Lives lost. Place where Casualt] occurred. Wind. Finding of Court of Inquiry. Name of Master. 3 Passengers. Cargo. Casualty. Direction. Force. 1905. Sep. 8 Whangape, s.s., 5 years Schooner 1901 32 Sugar .. Collision, and stranded; partial loss S.W. of Piles Light, South Passage, Suva Harbour Calm The " Whangape " left Suva for Auckland with a cargo of sugar, and whilst going at halfspeed turned into the passage and discovered the cutter " Bronzewing," 14 tons, straight ahead, showing no lights. The " Whangape " kept to port side of passage as much as possible, going full speed astern to avoid the cutter, which was crossing the passage, using sweeps. " Bronzewing" struck " Whangape " on starboard bow, and carried away her bowsprit. After passing the cutter the " Whangape's " bows took the sandpoint, south-west of Pile light, grounding very lightly, and backed off at midnight on three-quarter-flood tide Mate did not carry out master's order to keep out to sea. Vessel mis-stayed, and went ashore Vessel broke her tail-shaft 4 in. inside pro-peller-boss. Breakage apparently caused by granulation from wear and tear Casualty caused by continuous westerly winds R. D. Watson. 1906. Mar. 21 Aotea, auxiliary, 12 years Schooner 89 General Stranded; partial loss Waipiro Bay S.S.W. Gentle breeze John Brown. „ 30 Cygnet, s.s., 20 years Schooner 66 11 Ballast Broke tailshaft Guard's Bay, Cook Strait S. Squally Alexander Innes Murray. April 4 Aorere, s.s., 21 years Mimiro, s.s., 6 years Ketch .. 49 9i General Stranded; no damage Fire Inside Patea bar s.s.w. Light .. A. H. Fisk. „ 10 Schooner 4025 55 Wool, flax, &e. Glasgow Wharf, Wellington x.w. Light .. No evidence as to cause of fire. It may have been due to spontaneous combustion, or the flax may have been wilfully set on fire by some person or persons unknown Vessel struck a rock to the north of Pania Reef Buoy. Master was deceived as to his distance from the buoy, and the extent of the reef to the north Vessel touched coming out of Lyttelton Harbour, but got off again in a few hours Vessel cast ashore by the westerly swell, in consequence of the wind failing and rendering it impossible to reach seaward. Master was guilty of an error in judgment in sailing the vessel too near the coast in the weather prevailing, and was ordered to pay the costs of the inquiry, £6 3s. Vessel left Lyttelton at mid-day on 21st April, 1906, and was sighted next morning off Cape Campbell, bottom up. It is supposed she capsized owing to the violence of the wind and sea. Vessel towed to Wellington later Fredk. Charles Lids tone. „ 10 Perthshire, s.s., 12 years, 100 Al Schooner 3622 58 General Stranded; no damage Pallia Reef, near Napier Breakwater w. Light .. E. T. Cremer. „ 17 Mararoa, s.s. .. Schooner General Stranded; no damage Stranded; total loss Outside Western Mole, Lyttelton Oakuru, New Plymouth S.W. Moderate breeze Very light W. Manning. 1381 76 313 „ 19 Warrior, scow Schooner 73 5 Timber s. C. Anderson. „ 21 or 22 Ronga, schooner, 6 years 6 Sunposed to be off Cape Campbell Gale E. 0. Petersen. Schooner 93 6 Coal Capsized ; partial loss s.