A.—2

10

That the " Hawea "is schooner-rigged ; her port of registry, Dunedin; her registered tonnage, 461-50 tons. That no lives were lost through the stranding of the said vessel. That Francis Holmes, the master of the "Hawea," was guilty of great carelessness, — Ist. In giving a course south a quarter east by both the standard and steering compasses without having previously compared the two compasses, in which case he would have ascertained that the steering compass indicated about a quarter of a point more to the south than the standard compass, and would take the vessel so much nearer the shore by steering south quarter east. 2nd. That, on observing the land on the starboard bow, he did not examine and lay off the position of the vessel on the chart. 3rd. That, when he saw a red light, he did not examine the log to ascertain the distance the vessel had run, or the engine-room revolutions for the same purpose, but altered the course more inshore without having first ascertained the position of the vessel, through which means the vessel's course was directed towards the Waitara Eiver. 4th. That he showed gross neglect and inattention to his duty in being absent from the deck after the course was altered inshore to south-east by south, and especially after being twice warned by the second officer that the vessel was close inshore. That the chief officer, George Dan Alexander, is guilty of carelessness in that after ascertaining, as he said that he did at 9 o'clock p.m. of the Bth May, that the compass the ship was being steered by differed by about a quarter point from the standard compass, and therefore was taking the ship further inshore than the proper course, he did not immediately make the same known to the master, whose order-book gave the same course by both compasses; and, further, he did not report to the second mate the difference he had observed in the compasses. That the second officer, Lewis Cameron Noble, although evidently anxious that the vessel should be steered a safe course, showed a want of promptitude in that he did not stop the vessel's engines and port the helm when he found the vessel was in dangerous proximity to the land. And I, subject to confirmation by His Excellency the Governor, suspend the master's certificate of competency of Francis Holmes for four calendar months, the term being made less than it otherwise would have been in consequence of his previous good character as a careful navigator. The chief officer, George Dan Alexander, is deserving of a severe reprimand for his carelessness. As regards the second officer, Lewis Cameron Noble, I am of opinion that if he had had access to charts and sailing directions, it is probable the vessel would have been kept out of danger —a matter which it is highly advisable should in future be attended to by the owners of the vessel. Given under my hand this 19th day of June, 1883, at Dunedin, New Zealand. E. H. Carew, E.M. We concur in the above report. E. A. E. Scott,). Wm. Thomson, J AssessorsConfirmed. Wm. F. D. Jervois, Governor.

No. 1983.—"A1ma." Eeport of an Inquiry, held at Auckland, New Zealand, into the Stranding of the Barquentinei "Alma," on Elizabeth Eeef. I. That the official number of said ship, called the " Alma," is 31727, of which John Paterson was master, who holds a certificate of competency No. 275, and which ship belonged to Harry Guthrie and two others, of Dunedin. 11. That the loss or damage herein more particularly mentioned happened on the 3rd day of August, 1883, at about 12.30 o'clock a.m., on the Elizabeth Eeef. 111. That the loss appears by the evidence to have been caused by striking on the Elizabeth Eeef. IV. That the nature of the loss done was total wreck; that the vessel was insured. That the "Alma" is barquentine-rigged; her port of registry, Dunedin; her registered tonnage, 162^. That no lives were lost through the casualty. That the vessel was lost by the default of the master, on the following grounds : — 1. That he left Dunedin and Wanganui in an iron ship, to which he was a stranger, without having first obtained the deviation of the compasses. 2. That he failed to keep a record of the compass corrections when found by observations in some form that might be accessible to the mate or himself at any time of the day or night. It appears that the only record kept was by entry in the log. 3. That he did not provide himself with a book of sailing directions for the voyage on which he was bound. lam not satisfied he made all reasonable efforts to obtain such book. 4. That, although close to the reef on the 2nd August, he did not at any time and during that day inform the mate of its proximity. 5. That he gave no special instructions to keep a look-out for danger, either to the mate or the man on the look-out. 6. That the deck was leftin charge only of an A.B. on the morning of the 3rd August, when it was dark, squally, and raining, the master and the mate being both below for about fifteen minutes. I am in doubt .whether the compass was placed in a proper position—only four or five feet from the deck of an iron vessel; but the evidence on this point is not sufficiently explicit to enable me to form a definite opinion.