INQUIRY INTO THE STRANDING OF THE SAXON.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1909, 7 April 1880, Page 3

INQUIRY INTO THE STRANDING OF THE SAXON.

Art inquiry was held yesterday before Mr A. Rose, Collector of Customs, into the stranding of tho schooner Saxon, of Auckland, on the north spit of the Waimakariri bar on March 20th. Captain Charles John Macey assisted at the inquiry as nautical assessor. Tho following evidence was taken : George McKenzio, sworn —I am master of tho schooner Saxon, official No. 70,361, of Auckland. 11 of 1876. I hold no certificate. I left the Thames on March 7th, bound for Kaiapoi, with a cargo of about 45,000 feet of timber (N.Z.), shipped by Bagnall Brothers, consigned to order. I arrived at the mouth of the Waimakariri River on March 15th, waiting for the flood. I stood off and on according to tho signal from the pilot station. I signalled to ask tho draught on the bar. The pilot signalled, but I was unab'e to make the signals out on account of the flags being end on, owing to the wind, and my glass being none of the best. The balls were run up directing me to run in. I did not do so, because I had been unable to make out his flag signals as to draught of water. I then made for Lyttelton, and got in early on March 16th, and proceeded by train to Kaiapoi, and saw tho pilot. He told me at full tide there was 12 feet on the bar, and to go round on the followiag day, which I did, but ho did not Bignal me to come in, as the wind was not favorablo. This was on the morning of March 18th. I consequently stood off, and did not gut the signals until the morning of the 20th, when the balls showed that I was to come in, which I did < it was then about high water. My vessel was drawing seven feet forward and eight feet aft. I had got the beacons in lino, according to instructions, up to this time; and having a five knot breeze, as soon as I got the beacons in lino, I squared away to run in over the bar. When I got right in on the bar, the wind failed me and I bumped, and at tho second bump the rudder unshipped. She then drifted over the bar, dragging and bumping all tho time, until she fixed on the inside edge of the North Spit. Sho began making water, the sea occasionally breaking on board of her, and finding tho water up to the forecastle floor I tried the pump, but found it impossible to keep her free. Tho pilot then came on board and sent to Kaiapoi for assistance, meantime ordering a kedge out, and we also set to work pumping and baling. We rafted the deck cargo off, but tho next tide she bumped, and dragged down to the South side, opposite to the flagstaff. Under the pilot's orders we ran out the anchor, besides the kedge, to keep her in the channel, but were unable to do bo. I surrendered the vessel to the underwriters on Monday, March 22nd. Tho underwriters refused to accept abandonment. I therefore proceeded back to the vessel to save her, for the benefit of all concerned. I was acting under the immediate directions of Captain Dunsford, the surveyor for the underwriters. We got the vessel off on Saturday morning, April 3rd, after putting out about 20,000 ft. of timber into the Courier ketch. The Saxon now lies alongside the wharf at Kaiapoi. The amount of injury done to her we cannot yet ascertain. She still makes water at the rate of about three inches an honr. By the Assessor—l took soundings only when on tho bar, and found about 7ft. 6in. This was after I had bumped. When I entered the bar my time was about 10 in the morning. I had an almanack giving the tides. The pilot informed me that the tide did not turn until about half-an-hour after the vessel touched. I had never been in the Waimakariri before.

George Frederick Day sworn —I am the Government pilot and signalman for the Waimakariri river. When the schooner Saxon grounded on the bar it was 10 40 a.m , and it was not quite high water. I attribute the stranding of the vessel to the wind suddenly dropping to a calm at the critical moment when it was too late for her to haul out again. I have heard the statement of the captain read to me, and it appears to be correct in all particulars. The master has no code of signals on board. He used some old distant signals, which are not to be found in any Government book that I have. When I signalled for vessel to enter on the 20th there was wind enough inside the bar to bring her in, but a sudden downpour of rain caused the wind to die away suddenly. Frederick Joslin, mate of the schooner Saxon, corroborated the captain's evidence. This was the whole of the evidence, which will in due course be forwarded to the Government.