THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 225

General Post Office,
Wellington, 10th May, 1867.

THE following instructions are republished for the
guidance of Customs Officers, Magistrates, and
others, in conducting investigations under "The
Inquiry into Wrecks Act, 1863."

JOHN HALL.
Postmaster-General.

1. Duties of Customs Officers, &c.

1. Any Customs Officer, or other person authorized
   by the Act, who shall apply (§ 7) to a Resident
   Magistrate, or two Justices to hear any case in
   reference to the wreck of any vessel, shall make such
   application in writing, stating therein the particulars
   of the case in respect of which such investigation is
   required.

2. The Customs Officer, or other person authorized,
   shall, before the commencement of the investigation,
   furnish a copy of such application to each of the
   master, mate, and engineer of the wrecked vessel.

3. The Customs Officer, or other authorized person,
   shall superintend the management of the case at the
   investigation (§ 9).

4. Should the Court be of opinion that any person
   connected with the wreck should be prosecuted
   criminally, the Customs Officer, or other authorized
   person, should lay an information and prosecute in
   the usual way.

Duties of Magistrates.

1. Having taken evidence, the Magistrate or
   Justices shall in all cases prepare a report to the
   Governor containing a full statement (1) of the case,
   and (2) of their opinion thereon, such report (3) to
   be signed by the Magistrate or Justices, and (4) by
   the Nautical Assessor, if there be one and he concurs
   (5), and to be forwarded to the Governor through the
   Postmaster-General (6), together with the whole of
   or such extracts from the evidence as the Court shall
   think necessary (§ 9 and 10). Should the Nautical
   Assessor not concur in the report, he should forward
   his dissent and reasons therefor to the Governor
   (§ 10).

2. The Court has power, provisional on the
   Governor's confirmation, to cancel or suspend the
   certificate of any master, mate, or engineer, and in
   any case in which it may be considered proper so to
   cancel or suspend a certificate the Court should—

3. Take care that a Nautical Assessor sits with
   the Court.

4. Call on such master, mate, or engineer, to
   deliver up his certificate which under § 24 of
   "The Merchant Shipping Act Amendment
   Act, 1862," he is bound to do.

5. State in open Court their decision, provisional
   on Governor's confirmation, in respect to
   cancelling or suspending the certificate.
   ("Merchant Shipping Act, 1862," § 23
   par. 3.)

6. State, in their report to the Governor, the fact
   of a copy of the statement of the case upon
   which the investigation was ordered having
   been furnished to the owner of the certificate
   before the commencement of the investigation.
   ("Merchant Shipping Act, 1862," § 23,
   par. 6.)

7. See that the Assessor concurs in the report,
   and signs it as so concurring. (Ibid.)

8. Transmit the report with the whole evidence
   taken, and the cancelled or suspended certifi-
   cate to the Governor through the Postmaster-
   General, for confirmation and transmission to
   the Board of Trade. (Ibid, par. 3.)

General Post Office,
Wellington, 11th May, 1867.

THE following Report of the Court of Inquiry held
under "The Inquiry into Wrecks Act, 1863,"
on the wreck of the s.s. "Queen," is published for
general information.

JOHN HALL,
Postmaster-General.

Resident Magistrate's Court,
Wellington, 13th April, 1867.

SIR,-In accordance with the requirements of the
warrant, dated on the 8th and forwarded to me in
your letter of the 9th instant, I have now the honor
to report that on the 9th instant, assisted by H.
Benson, Esq., General Manager of the Panama New
Zealand and Australian Steam Navigation Company,
as Nautical Assessor, I held an inquiry into the loss
of the steamship "Queen." She was an iron vessel
of 260 tons gross register and 70 horse power, the
property of the New Zealand Steam Navigation
Company, commanded by Ferdinand Charles Kreeft,
a master of considerable experience in these waters,
holding a certificate of competency from the Board
of Trade in England, also a New Zealand steam
certificate.

From the evidence, it appears that she left this
port at 5:30 p.m. on the 5th instant, bound to Nelson,
in a sound staunch condition, with all the require-
ments of the New Zealand Steam Navigation Act
duly complied with.

At 8 p.m. Cape Terawiti bore about East, distant
four miles, a very strong N.W. wind prevailing at the
time; a N.N.W. course was then steered until 11:20,
when Cape Koemaru bore S.W.-W. (correct
magnetic), distant about six miles, a position verified
by cross bearings of the "Brothers;" from it the
ship was kept N.W. by N. until 11:55, when she
struck heavily on Cook's Rock, and very shortly after
sank in deep water.

From the evidence of Messrs. Kennedy, Wheeler,
and Renner, all of them officers of long experience
in the command of steamers on the New Zealand
coast, it appears that the course steered from 11:20
p-m., when the position of the ship was last fixed,
ought to have taken her well outside and clear of
Cook's Rock. The ship appears to have been care-
fully navigated, and the master was on deck during
the first watch until the ship struck.

From the evidence adduced, I must conclude that
the loss of the ship is due to an unexpected deviation
of the compasses, rather than to any act or default of
the master.

I have, &c.,
JAMES C. CRAWFORD, R.M.

The Hon. the Postmaster-General.

I, Henry Baskerville Benson, Nautical Assessor on
the inquiry into the loss of the s.s. "Queen," do
concur in the above Report concerning the loss of the
said vessel.

Wellington, New Zealand,
13th April, 1867.

H. B. BENSON,
Nautical Assessor.

Minute by Marine Engineer.

In the absence of Lights and Beacons masters of
steamers are advised not to attempt the inner passage
at night.

JAMES M. BALFOUR,
Marine Engineer.