SHIPPING SUMMARY.

West Coast Times, Issue 232, 16 June 1866, Page 4

SHIPPING SUMMARY.

As compared with the month April — May, there has been a slight falling off in the shipping trade of this port during the month immediately passed. This is to be alone attributed to the fact — that the requirements of Westland markets are so well understood by consignors that goods are no longer <l rushed' 1 to the port, glutting the market, and resulting in auction sales at ruinous discounts to all interested save the auctioneer and the agent ; but instead, a steady supply is kept up, ■which employs only a moderate number of vessels, which by their constant re-appear-ance are now regarded^ as regular traders. By a reference to the monthly list of shipping, it will be seen that tho bulk of our supplies is drawn from Melbourne, eight vessels being marked down as having arrived from that port. Of this number six are steamers, that, besides passengers, all carried more or less cargo for Hokitika. These boats are most regular in their arrival, and depart with equal punctuality, save when unavoidably detained by the state of the weather or bar. Their trips are monthly : the Gothenburg, Albion, and Rangitoto (or another oi" the Panama Company's boats) putting iv an appearance between the Jst and 7th, whilst tho South Australian and Star of the Eveuing are looked foraboutthe2Bth or3oth. The Gothenburg, which arrived on the Ist inst., brought, as usual, a large cargo, consisting of between two hundred-atld three hundred tons of miscellaneoutcgoods, and fortunately succeeded in landing it in excellent condition, and without delay. The Rangitoto and. Albion, however, were not equally lucky; for after waiting some days, they were compelled to proceed to Nelson with " part of original cargo." The direct departures for Melbourne are less than the arrivals from it, as steamers usually make the round of the coast, and take their final leave of the Middle Island at Bluff Harbor. Our Sydney friends, never particularly demonstrative or favorably inclined to Hokitika and its belongings, have fought rather shyer than usual, two brigantines, which were once regular traders, having been taken off the berth. We allude to the Colonist and Amy Robsar*. The firm of W. S. Lockhart, however, still find profitable employment for their vessels in West Coast waters, and two of the fleet, the Jane Lockhart and the Lizzie Coleson, have been told off to especially trade here during the winter. Direct communication by steam with Sydney takes placo about once a month, for which we may thank tho Panama Company. With Dunedin we have but little direct communication, the s.s. William Miskin, once a constant visitor, having been taken off the berth ; so the s.s. Keera has the trade entirely to herself. One sailing vessel during the month has arvived from that port, and we have returned the compliment with the like number "in ballast.' 1 The Lyttleton traders J. B. Rtissel, Crest of the Wave, and Isabella Jackson arrived, and departed with their wonted punctuality, and we are glad to see communication by water so well kept up with our eastern brethren. No vessel depending on canvas alone now runs between Nelson and Westlund, the trade having been monopolised by the two coasting steamers Kennedy and Wallibi, and the ocean boats which make both places a port of call. We have, however, seen the Kennedy and Wallibi W once only this taonth. Jn the ls\,.ih Island, the one Vport with two names (Manakau and Onehunga) still supplies us with large quantities of produce, which is conveyed hither by several small craft, whose bottoms are well acquainted with the Hokitika river. Their trips have been usually made with regularity and despatch, and their cargoes landed in excellent condition. There is * a slight decrease in the Westland coasting trade during the month, which in a great measure may be

attributed to the season, and also that no new goldfields havo been discovered ately, either to the north or couth. With Okarita a steady trade is kopt up by tho p.s. Bruce, which can find her way across either bar at all hours ; whilst Greymouth is attended to by the s learners Yarra and Persevere, which visit that port chiefly for the purpose of towing vessels in and out. We btill draw large supplies of coal from thenco, tho trade employing two ov three small schooners. Referring to shipping disas* lei's on the coast, which havo been unsually few, and unattended, save in two instances, with serious results, we will revert to the stranding of the schooner Maria, of which a full account wns given in last month's Summary. The " official enquiry," however, was not concluded until a fortnight latpr, and from v tho evidence adduced, we believe that her loss was caused through taking the bar too late on tide. No blame, however, is merited by either tho Pilot, or Master of the Steam Tug as it is almost impossible to depend upon the regularity of the ebb and flow here, the tides being so much influenced by gales outside, which, rolling up a heavy sea, cause them to " overrun," or in other words", keep tho tide at its highest some time after it should commence ebbing. This causo removed, and a corresponding reaction takes place, so that the most experienced of our river men are often deceived in their estimation of the time of high water. We regret to state that, the Maria has since become a total wreck, and that very shortly hardly a vestige of her will remain. Tho ketcli Lloyd's Herald, which unfortunately grounded at tho same time, afterwards made the overland passage, and now lies safe in the river. During that portion of the month between the date of the Maria's catastrophe, the 6th - instant, no mishap occurred ; but on that day the Yarra, p.s., having on board sixty or seventy passengers, got into difficulties on the bar, and very seriously endangered the lives of the whole of her living freight, of which one was washed overboard and drowned. This sad occurrence is solely to be attributed to the unusually heavy surf, which broke in six fathoms' water outside, so that there was a stvip of white water half a mile wide to be crossed. For some days, the weather had been exceedingly unfavorable for the landing of either passengers or freight, but on the day in question it cleared up a little ; and as tho Rangitoto had arrived from Melbourne that morning, the Persevere crossed the bar nt early tide, when the sea was not quite so' heavy, shipped a few passengers from -her,, and steamed for the Grey. Some two hours later, the Yarra also left the river, and ran alongside the Rangitoto, transhipped passengers, and then steamed for the bar, the tide by this time having commenced to ebb, and which raised a terrible sea. The Yavra, however, crossed the 6uter

broak, and so Ion? as she kept end on to the sea all went well ; but being obliged, at last, to sheer to' the south, it brought her broadside to the surf, when she was struck by a succession of monstrous rollers, which smashed in her bulwarks, partly tore away the cabin skylight, and so com • pletely deadened her way that for a few minutes she was unmanageable, and it was feared she would fill and go down. Fortunately, however, no water penetrated to the engine-room, and a lull ensuing, way was once moro got on lieu, and the river entered just as daylight was departing. It was the first sea which struck her that washed away one of the passengers — a gentleman named Dalton, ro«iding in New South. Wales, and who had run across in the Rangitoto to receive certain moneys due him on cattle sent over in the Benjamin Heape. For a few minutes he was seen struggling in the surf, when he sank, 03 it was quite impossible to render any assistance, The body has not yet been cast ashore. One other disaster we have to chr9nicle, # which, although it resulted in the total wreck of a small schooner, was unattended with loss of life. Tho vessel we allude to, named the' Maid of the Mill, was inward-bound from tho Grey, with a cargo of coal. The p.s. Lioness took her in tow, but when just on the bar, with her charge astern, the 'varp parted, and an attempt to make a second fast failing, the little hooker drifted through the surf into a blind channel that runs parallel to tho beach, and let go her anchor. The chain, however, not strong enough to resist the heavy jerks upon it, snapped, and the schooner was cast upon the beach, where she became a total wreck during the night. She was not by any means a valuable vessel, and was certainly a most unsuitable vessel for Westland eeas. Tho ports of Greymouth and Okarita have been free from shipping casualties during the month. The entrance to our own port, durinc the same period, has, on the whole, been favorable, although several times the bar has been very scant of \yater. At the same time vessels of ordinary draught find no difficulty in crossing, and since the beginning of June heavy rains, by 'flooding the river, > have kept it clear of silt, scoured the channel deeper, and given it a atraighter run outside. At present it contains fourteen feet of water, and the two powerful tug-boats, Lioness and Challenge, attend exclusively to this port. Vessels bound in may depend upon receiving prompt attention. The river and harbor works, which we fondly hoped would long ere this have been completed, have made but little progress during the past month. That portion of the wharf (so much required, not only for the sufo mooring of vessels, but for the protection of certain parts of the town), which our sluggish rulers decided upon constructing is not yet finished, whilst, lacking protection, the river bank lower down has gradually melted away, leaving no pathway whatever in front of the buildings. Above the Custom House piles have been driven and interlaced with scrub, which, if not washed away, will be a very effective protection to that part of Gibson's Quay. In concluding this resume we would most strongly advise masters of vessels on no consideration to attempt the bar under canvas.