49

H.—ls.

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

7—H. 15

Date of Casualty. Vessel's Name, Age, and Class. Kig. CD Oil tec CD O P5EH Number of | IPasseng I gers. Nature of Cargo. Casualty. Number of Lives lost. Place where Casualty occurred. Wind. Finding of Court of Inquiry, dfcc. Name of 1907. Feb. 5 6 Admiral, lighter, 30 years Awarua, p.s., 23 years Ketch .. Schooner 40 . 3 Wool .. Ballast. . Foundered; partial loss ; refloated Stranded; total wreck Napier Harbour .. N. Light .. 1 mile from Kauri N.W. Light .. Mountain, Whangarei Heads Cause of casualty was the anchor went through the bow of the vessel and caused a leak, but how this happened is not known. Vessel was towed on to a bank, where cargo was discharged and damage repaired The " Awarua," in charge of an A.B., the master being engaged in mate's duties, struck on uncharted rocks, and became a total wreck. Movables were salved by s.s. " Pelican" and boats. In view of evidence given at Magisterial inquiry master should have been warned of rocks in the vicinity of his course. Vessel driven ashore by a sudden tempest of wind and sea from an unexpected quarter The master during thick stormy weather shortran his distance to clear Cape Maria Van Diemen, and was driven ashore. Probable cause, strong adverse currents and bad weather Grounded on a sand-bank (uncharted), and was towed off by the s.s. " Invercargill " on 1st March Court found that master was greatly to blame for not taking the usual precautions in foggy weather. Certificate suspended for six months. Considered that the mate was also to blame, and ordered that he pay £5 5s. towards costs of inquiry No observations for correction of compasses were obtainable for severa days prior to the wreck, and the vessel got out of her course and went ashore in a dense fog, becoming a total wreck When vessel was about seven miles from land Gustave Hankey, A.B., was missed, and though vessel was brought up in the wind and look-out kept up for an hour no sign of the missing man could be found One of the party threw a lighted match into a pool of benzine, which flared up and scorched the woodwork of the boat The vessel not answering her helm properly stranded, owing to the jobble of the sea in a tortuous channel J. C. Tonkin. L. A. McLean. _ 54 7 tt 14 14 Rock Lily, 20 years Bravo, scow, 10 years Ketch .. Schooner 50 4 Ballast.. Stranded; partial loss Stranded; partial loss, refloated h mile N. of Mercury S.E. Gale .. Bay i 8 miles S.E. of Cape N.N.E. Moderate Maria Van Diemen P. Bonfield. 99 5 Timber Charles Nelson. 15 Rimu, s.s., 9 years Schooner Timber & wool Stranded; no damage Paterson's Inlet, Stew- .. Calm .. art Island J. A. Bergquist. 144 16 Rakiura, s.s., 29 years Schooner 81 Ballast. . Stranded; no damage Korora Creek, Moly- S.S.E. Light . . neux Bay S.S.E. W. M. Dudfield 10 17 Marguerite Mirabaud Barque (French) Stranded; total loss Akatore, Otago .. E.S.E. Light .. J. M. Tattevin. 1731 24 Coal, &c. E.S.E. Light .. 20 Waikonini, scow fi years Schooner 60 1 1 Near East Cape .. N. Strong Strong John Brown. X. 23 Matai Oil-launch Fire; slight damage Otago Harbour .. .. Calm .. 12 Calm .. 25 Echo, 2 years.. Schooner Timber Stranded; slight damage N. Spit, Karamea S.W. Light .. River S.W. Light .. Arthur Seeley. 99 * Under 5 tons, not registered.