3

H.—ls

would again urge that, in the interests of the safety of life and property, sailing-vessels engaged solely in the coastal trade should be subject to compulsory inspection, and thai provision for this should be made in the Shipping and Seamen Act Amendment Bill. On the -")tli March, l!)o". when the hatches were being put on one of the holds of the s.s. "Surrey," at Wellington, one i>l the fore and afters became unshipped, and a man was killed by falling down the hold. As the vessel belonged to the United Kingdom, and held a certificate granted in England, the Imperial Board of Trade was asked to have the hatches, Ac, inspected on the vessel's return to England, and to take such action as might he necessary to remedy any defect that might be found. A reply has been received from the Board of Trade stating that on an inspection being made of the hatches it was found thai the cross-beams and fore and afters fit properly provided they are shipped in their right places, and that to insure tliis being dune, in addition to the numbers which were eul on them to correspond with numbers cut on the hatehcoaming, figures 4 in. in height have now been painted in black on a white ground to denote the position of the fore and afters for all the hatchways. Captain Stringer, Surveyor of Ships, Wellington, has been appointed an adjuster of compasoos, and Captain Adamson has been appointed an inspector of compasses for the Auokland outports. Proceedings, which resulted in tines being imposed, were taken in the following oases —viz., the master of the s.s. " Rimu," tor not having boat-drill, and for not entering in the official log the ship's draught and freeboard when leaving port: the owner of the launch " Mabel " and the master of the launch " Margaret," for running withoul lights: the owner of the launch " Nita," for running without a certificate ; and the master of the " Kekeno," for carrying passengers without a certificate authorising the vessel to do so. Fees have been prescribed for the measurement of the tonnage of ships registered in New Zealand or engaged in the coastal trade. Deck-cargo. —The regulations have been amended as follows—viz., Empowering Collectors of Customs to grant home-trade steamships a special annual license to carry such number of livestock on deck as after inspection of the ship by a Surveyor he deems it safe for her to carry; providing that masters of iron ships may, instead of securing sawn timber on deck with chains and union screws, secure it by suitable Hitches not less than 8 in. by .'i in., and not more than 12ft. apart, screwed down to angle irons under the top gallant rail with bolts not less than J in. diameter, and that logs may be secured with chains not more than Bft. apart, Secured to bolts on deck or under the rail; and providing that in the case of steamships trailing between New Zealand and the Chatham Islands, from the Ist November in one year to the 30th April in the following year, a Collector of Customs, after inspection of the ship by a Surveyor or officer approved bj him, may grant a special license for carrying such number of live-stock on deck as he is satisfied the ship is able to cany witli safety to the ship and the people on board. The fees for licenses have been consolidated and amended. Coaxtdl Dangers. —Captain Bollons, of the Government steamer " Bineznoa," who examined the Three Kings Islands, reported that certain islands shown on the Admiralty chart do not exist; thai an uncharted sunken nick with 10 ft. of water over it exists 2 cables S. .'l7° W. of Flat Rock, off Kawau ; that there is a rock which dries 3 ft. at L.W.S. I*B cables off the eastern side of Little Harrier Island: ami that there is a rocky patch with 1) fathoms over it at L.W.S. 1J miles off Waipapa Point, S.W. of Whaingaroa Harbour. An uncharted pinnacle rock with only X ft. of water on it has been found near the north coast of Half-moon Bay. It having been represented that the four-fathom shoal off the Cheviot coast was not correctly shown on the chart, a survey of it has been made by Captain Post, of the s.s. " Tutanekai," who found that it lies 2 miles N. 20° W. of the charted position. Notices to mariners regarding these dangers have been issued, and they have been reported to the Hydrographer to the Admiralty, in order that they may be shown on the charts. Mr. Perano, of Picton, having reported that Cook's Rock, off the Brothers, in Cook Strait, is nearer to the Brothers than shown on the chart. Captain Poet has taken observations, and reports that the position as given on the Cook Strait chart is correct, but that it does not appear to be correctly placed on the chart of Cook Strait anchorages. It would be advisable to arrange for a Surveyor to verify the position of the rpek. The New Zealand Nautical Almanac was issued in November last. The value of this publication is becoming so well recognised that the issue lias been sold out, and it will be necessary to print a larger number of the issue for 1909. Waget and Effect* of Deceased Seamen, The estates of thirty-six seamen, amounting to £287 9s. l()d., have been administered during the year, and the sum of £333 Us. (id. has been paid to relatives and other claimants. The sum of £20 10s. 6d., belonging to estates which have been in the Department for over six years, has been paid into the Public Account. A list of the estates is appended. Wreckt 'ind Casualties. —Tables showing the casualties to ships and an analysis thereof are appended. Those on the coasts of the Dominion numbered 79, representing 18,436 tons register, as compared with 90, representing 32,166 tons register, in the previous year. The total wrecks within the Dominion were 8, of 3,442 tons register, as compared with 15, of 3,H01 tons register, in the previous year. The total number of lives lost was 80, as compared with -V.) last year. All of these were within the Dominion—viz., " Dundonald," 13; " Morning Light," 1; '' Woollahra," 2 ; "Surprise," 4; "Glenlui,"l; " Kaituna," 1 ; " Kia'Ora," 3; "Flora," 3; "Marama,"l; "Monowai," 1. It will be observed that the lives lost in the wreck of the " Dundonald " have been included in the number given. This wreck occurred on the 6th March, 1907, but it was not known of until after the issue of last year's report. The vessel was on her way from Sydney, New South Wales, to