IMPORT DUTIES.

West Coast Times, Issue 51, 30 September 1865, Page 2

IMPORT DUTIES.

We publish in our advertising columns an address, unanimously signed by the passengers 011 bo?.rd the steamer Samson, and presented to Captain John Robertson, of that craft, thanking him for his kindness and attention while on tho voyage.

There was anothor narrow escape from disaster on Thursday afternoon, at the Hokitika bar. The steamer Samson, with the schooner Crest of Ihe Wave in tow, started to sea on that day, but through the captain of the tug keeping much too far to tho southward he grounded on the b?x. The schoonc, impelled by tho fresh, and !he momentum of her previous swift motion, continued her course, and was within an ace of running into the steamer, an accident which was only arrested by the length of the tow line. There was considerable excitement among the* crowd gathered on shore, and the signalman shouted to the schooner to stand by the anchor ; but this she neglected to do, and made as if to sail past the Samson and through the channel to sea— an attompt the success of which would have been doubtful, as there was but little wind — when by a vigorous ' effort, assisted by one or two good rollers, the tug again got afloat and took the Crest safely to sea.

The diversion of the rivor through the new channel through the spit, and tho only partial closing of the old one, has caused the formation of a low sand-bank nearly in the middle of the fairway, which is a great annoyanco to vessels of over tho usual draught trading to this port ; and the bank being under water oven at the lowest neap tide.", does not improve the circumstance. A good deep channel lies on either side of this obstruction, and we certainly think a buoy to mark the locality of the bank would be of infinite service. The William Miskin, having on hoard a large number of passengers bound for Bruce Bay and Dunedin, in going out on. Wednesday, stuck on this bank, and all efforts having failed to get her off, many of the passengers again got ashore, and waited to sco what the next tide would do. On Thursday, a large number of persons assembled at the spit some time before high water, and anxious eyes were directed at (he stranded ship, watching for the slighest motion. In spite, however, of *.ho constant plunging of the screw; which was kept churning the water with a persistence worthy of better success, there sho remained. At length the Samson, having returned from towing out the Orest of the Wave, gave her assistance, aud a good hour was spent in unavailing efforts to float tho Miskin ; only one movement, to tho extent of a few feet, was effected , and when it is taken into consideration that the Samson can tow without difficulty a ship of 2000 tons, and that the united power of both vessols could not move fclie Miakin, an idea can be formed of the force with which she grounded. On Friday evening, she having in tho meantime been considerably lightened, the Miskin got safely off tho bank and proceeded to sea.

Thursday's was the lowest tide wo remember to havo seen in Hokitika, it boing dead neap, and the consequence was that the port steamers in one or two instances found themselves most unexpectedly placed in closer proximity to tho bed of the river than is either necessary or desirable On one occasion, in particular, tho scene presented was intensely absurd. Thore was the Miskin hard and fast, making frantic but useless offgrts to disengage herself ; the Yarra, in passing too oloso to hor also stuck fust for some minutes ; and to crown all, the Samson, which was coming up to render assistance to tho Miskin, heiself got aground. All, however, with the exception of tho latter, got afloat again, aund wo suppose went on their way rejoicing.

Tho cutter Heather Bell, on board of which is M'Gregor's prospecting party, was towed out on Thursday by the steamer Yarra, and commenced her voyage to the south with magnificent weathor, and too littlo rather thiln too much wind. The littlo craft was crowded with eager gold seekers, and received a hearty cheer, which was as heartily returned, from tho pissongers on board tbo Wra. Miskin and the gazers on shoro. A good surf was rolling in, through which tho steamer sped at the rate of knots ; but though she occasionally took a littlo salt water on board, tho cutter rode over tho seas without shipping ono. She was most skilfully steered, and to this circumstanco her good fiiituno was mainly attributable. Tho 8.8. Alhambra, Captain M'Lenn, loft Dunedin on Saturday the 23rd instant, and the Bluff the following day at noon. Had fine weather to

the West Cape, when a furious gale came on from tho N.E. causing a very heavy soa. On the morning of the 25th instant, a fine young man, namod Charles. Boxall, fell down the between decks on his head, fracturing his skull. He only lived about an hour. At 915 a.m., the gale breaking, a heavy sea broke on board, washing the second officer, Mr. Arthur Mangan, overboard. He caught hold of a ropo, but his clothes getting so heavy ho could not hold on, and in a few ninutes ho sank to riso no moro. It was a sad sight to sco him drowning while no help could bo rendered, the sea being so heavy that a boat could not bo lowored. Every manosuvro to bring him alongsido the ship was tried, and at one timo he could almost bo touched. Lifebuoys, honcoops, sheep, and dogs, that had been washed overboard wero also floating about close to him. Tho miners and other passengers kindly subscribed £36 for his poor widowed mother, whom he supported. Ho was a promising young man, aud had sailed with Captain M'Lean four years. On the 20th instant put into Jackson's Bay, dug a grave, and buried Charles Boxall. Left about twolvo miners thero who were very much pleased with tho appearanco of the place. Left Jackson's Bay at 6 p.m. same evening, and arrived at Hokitika at 8 a.m. on the 27th instant, and landed a portion of tho passengers. On tho 28th, landed all the remaing passengers, and cargo that had not been landed on the previous voyage.

The Ballarat started on Thursday on her maiden trip outwards from this port, bound for the Grey. She kept too far to the northward in crossing the bar, and grounded for a few minutes. Her light draught, however, saved her, and she orossed in safety.

Bruoe Bay.— As public attention is now directed to the southward, and Bruce Bay is already looked upon by many as the site for a second town on the West Coast, to rival HokitiHo, the following extract from Captain Gibson's repoit of June last may not be uninteresting or useless to our leaders :—" Bruce Bay is situate in latitude 43° 36' S. f and Mount Cook bears N. 71° B. magnetic It is tho bay shown in tho Admirality charts lying between Makawiho and Porangirangi Points. The anchorage is close under the South Head in threo fathoms at dead low water, hard speokled sand, but apparently good holding ground. I consider this bay a much better harbor than either Timaru, Oamaru, or Moeraki, because it is proteoted from everything except a northerly wind, which seldom blows here with any violence, and, on necessity, a sailing vessel could put to sea without any difficulty; besides which, I feel sure vessels could generally disohnrge their cargo in their own boats, so little surf is there on the beach ; and, were there a short inexpensive jetty constructed in the south corner on tho sand, even in a northerly breeze, I hardly think cargo-boat communication would be intorrnptcd j further, it will, I am sure, prole a great acquisition to the larger description of vessels seeking shelter from a southerly breeze, being tho only protected anchorage between Wanganui Inlet and Jackson's Bay, which latter placo it closely rosembles Tho southern headland is a bold, rocky promontory stretching out a mile and a half in a N.W. direction, and forming the shelter, whereas in the adjoining bay to the southward, the same headland offers protection from the only winds to which Bruce Bay is exposed." A Mortar or Rocket Serviob. — A correspondent writes :—''l: — ''I am induced to forward you these fow lines by observations mado at the Flagstaff during several days, in tho course of which I have seen many vessels of different tonnage cross, and attempt to cross the bat, a largo proportion of which have managed to get aground ; and although only one wreck absolutely took place, yot others havo been placed iv positions of groat danger. Amongst other things which perhaps may be done to obviate this, I would venture to suggest one which certainly would have saved tho vessel lost, and have extricated tho others alluded to. What I would suggest is that either a rocket or mortar sorvioe should be provided to throw a lino to apy vessel, by which a stout hawser might be got on board, and with the manual strength always collected on the spit at or about high wator, almost any vessel might in a few minutes be plucked into a place of safety. I do not think it would become me to point out particulars of how this service should bo carried out, as doubtless our harbor master is woll acquainted with them, but I do think ho should at once be supplied with the means, which might be done at a very trifling expense."

Tiuksuippiwo Fbmai.eß. — A gentleman, recently arrived, writes to complain of the highly indecent as well as dangerous manner in which females are transhipped- from the large steamer into the boats that cross tho bar. He say.» that they are, in tho first place, bnndled down tho ladder like bales of wool, and then partly hauled partly pushed over the side of the small steamer, when tho boats arrive alongside, in such a manner as to be extremely offensive to every respectable woman. If this is the cose, there is unquestionably great ground for complaint. The idea, uo doubt, is that time is saved thereby, and that by lowering ladies in chairs, as is done under similar circumstances in more civilised pai ts of tho world, a groat deal of time would be lost. Wo do not think that even on this ground the shipping interest is right, for females by the present bundling process bocome naturally more alarmed, and are more difficult to get into or out of tho boats. But putting utility out of the question, it is monstrous that, in order, to allow a steamer to get away a quarter of an hour sooner, tho weaker sex should be so dealt with. We hope that the shipping agents will look into tho mutter, and if half of "vhat is alleged be true, establish soino sweeping reform without delay. Tub Rifleman.— We are glad to sco that tho enterprising firm of Butt and Anderson havo placed a vessel on the berth for Hokitika. The Rifleman, Captain M'Clachie, is advertised to sail on Tuesday next. This vessel, when loaded, draws 8 feet (i inohes of water, and has, before this, gone into Hokitika with a hundred tons of potatoes. Crafts of this class, of which Auckland has many, aro exactly suited to tho Inuio They can pass the bar, and have tho advantago of larger craft, which, unloading into lighters outside, aro of course oxposed to tho risk of sudden change from fovorablo to uufavorablo weather.— N.Z. Herald, Spt. 14.

Wreck op tub Schooner Midas at Castle Point. — Information was received in town on Wednesday last to tho effect that tho schoonor Midas, from Dunedin, bound for Ilokitika, with a general cargo, had been wrecked on the coast near Castle Point, Pour of tho crow and threo of tho passengers have como in, and they roporfc that no lives wero lost, and that tho vessel is a total wreck. The cuptaiu was soverely injured on getting on shore, and was unablo to travol into Wellington. It would appear that tho Midas got tho full benefit of tho S.E. gnlo which was recently experienced, and that sho ultimately drove on to tho rocks and was destroyed. She was a schooner of 2(5 tons, and wo havo not heard whether she was insured. — Wellington Advertiser, September 22.