54

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Zealand, having been on the 25th day of September,
1867, applied to by William Sydney Munday, Esq.,
principal Officer of Customs at the Port of West-
port, for a formal investigation pursuant to section
seven of "The Inquiry into Wrecks Act, 1863," and
other provisions of the said Act, respecting the loss
of a certain ship called the "Mountain Maid," of the
port of Sydney, on the 6th day of September last, on
the bar at Westport, did duly proceed with the said
investigation, to wit on the 28th day of September
instant, and had before me and examined on oath
divers persons and witnesses, to wit, Edward Helden,
master mariner; Andrew Lunn Edgar, mate; John
Kirkpatrick, master mariner ; Henry Jacobson,
signalman; and Samuel Alexander Leech, harbour-
master, the original depositions of whose evidence
are hereunto annexed, signed by me, being assisted
therein by Thomas Chrisp, master mariner, holding a
certificate of competency from the Marine Board,
Wellington, who was duly appointed by William
Sydney Munday, Esq., principal Officer of Customs
at the port of Westport, in the Province of Nelson,
to act as Assessor to me the said Justice of the
Peace and Resident Magistrate, and upon such
investigation and examination of witnesses as afore-
said, I find and beg to report to the Honorable the
Postmaster-General of New Zealand as follows, that
is to say:-

1. That the official number of said ship called
   the "Mountain Maid" is 32,308, of which
   Edward Helden is master, who holds a certifi-
   cate of competency, and which ship belonged
   to William Peverley, of Balmain, near Sydney,
   in the Colony of New South Wales, ship-
   owner.
2. That the loss or damage herein more parti-
   cularly mentioned happened on the sixth day
   of September, one thousand eight hundred and
   sixty-seven, at about twelve o'clock in the fore-
   noon, on the North Spit of the Bar, at the
   mouth of the Buller River.
3. That the loss or damage appears by the
   evidence to have been caused as stated below.
4. That the nature of the loss or damage done was
   total wreck. That the vessel is not insured,
   as far as can be ascertained. That the
   "Mountain Maid" is brig-rigged; her port
   of registry, Sydney; her registered tonnage,
   192 621-1000 tons. That no lives were lost
   through the wreck.
   And I, the said Justice of the Peace and Resident
   Magistrate, further state my opinion on the matter
   aforesaid to be as follows-That the "Mountain
   Maid" was ashore twice on the Buller bar, and once
   on the North Spit before she was finally wrecked on
   the South Beach. She was three times in such a
   position that she might have been rescued, and it will
   therefore be convenient to consider the circumstance
   of each several stranding separately :--
5. On 5th September the "Mountain Maid," with
   a cargo of coals, from Newcastle, ill-found, and by
   no means water-tight, anchored in the Bay, off the
   mouth of the Buller. At noon she weighed and
   stood in towards the bar, with a light north-westerly
   wind, drawing twelve feet of water. Two steamers,
   the "Southland" and "Woodpecker" offered their
   services, which were declined; the master of the
   "Woodpecker" informed the "Mountain Maid"
   that there was thirteen feet on the bar, and the
   master of the "Southland" said that there was
   scarcely water enough for her, notwithstanding which
   she (the "Mountain Maid), at 1 p.m., or shortly
   afterwards, took the bar, with yards square and the
   wind aft, or nearly so. It was two hours before high
   water, neap tides, the blue flag and black ball were
   flying at the signal station, signifying "flood tide-
   wait for tide." A signal was hoisted at the station
   asking what water she drew, but this was not under-
   stood as there were neither signal-books nor flags on
   board; the master had never been at the port before,
   and did not understand the local tidal flags; the
   wind was so light that, according to the evidence of
   the Harbour Master, it would not have been safe for
   the vessel to have attempted to come in under
   canvas, even if there had been sufficient water in the
   channel; the lead was not kept going continually,
   but only occasional soundings taken, the last before
   striking being three fathoms; she struck on the bar
   in or near the channel, and sustained some injuries,
   part of the false keel being knocked away.
6. She was towed off by the s.s. "Southland" to
   seaward and brought in again at about high-water
   and stuck again on the bar in the middle of the
   channel more heavily than before, this time unship-
   ping the upper pinth of the rudder, the tow-line at
   the same time being carried away. The master of
   the "Mountain Maid" states that he was brought
   in the second time without his consent, but when he
   saw the "Southland" turn and head in again for
   the bar he neither hailed her nor showed in any way
   that he would have preferred to be taken to the
   outer roadstead. The "Southland," after the warp
   carried away, made fast to her again, but failing to
   get her off cast off and went into the river. The
   "Mountain Maid" let go both anchors.
7. At the night's high tide, about 3 a.m., the
   "Mountain Maid" dragged along the bank and
   went ashore, on the North Spit at the entrance of
   the river. It was a fine night, and according to the
   evidence of the signalman, if a steamer had been
   engaged she might have been towed off the bar and
   into the river. On heaving in the chains on the
   following morning it was found that the starboard
   anchor was gone and the stock of the port anchor
   carried away.
8. Three days afterwards, attempts having been
   in the meantime made by the s.s. "Despatch" to
   tow her off, which were ineffectual, because no ccal
   had at that time been thrown overboard to lighten
   her, the vessel was hove off by a warp fast to the
   opposite side of the river. The Harbour Master
   very properly declined to take charge or have any-
   thing to do with her unless a steamer were engaged
   in attendance. She was hove off by the warp
   into the river, and the port anchor-the only one left
   -eight cwt., with a temporary wooden stock, was
   dropped in mid-channel; it was slack water when
   she got off, and if even the "Woodpecker" had been
   in attendance there is no doubt that the "Mountain
   Maid" would have been safely berthed, but by the
   time the anchor was dropped the ebb-tide was setting
   out; the bight of the warp got foul between the
   rudder and stern-post and carried away, and the
   vessel commenced to drag out towards the South
   Spit. The "Woodpecker" then seeing lights flashed
   on board the "Mountain Maid" came down to her
   assistance and took her in tow, but too late, for her
   small power was insufficient to move the vessel
   against the increasing force of the ebb-tide, which
   carried the "Mountain Maid" on to the South
   Beach, where she was totally wrecked, surveyed,
   condemned, and sold for £23.
   The master states that she was not insured.
   It is unnecessary to comment on these facts. I
   would simply recommend that the certificate of the
   master be cancelled.
   Given under my hand this twenty-eighth day
   of September, one thousand eight hundred
   and sixty-seven, at Westport, in the
   Province of Nelson, New Zealand.
   T. A. SNEYD KYNNERSLEY, Lieut. R.N.,
   Resident Magistrate.