parted. The captain then gave orders to set
the jib, foretopmast staysail, and foresail, with
the view of beaching the vessel, as she would
not pay off. The starboard chain was slipped;
after that she paid off and took the beach
about noon, becoming a total wreck during the
afternoon, the crew having been previously all
landed safely, with the assistance of people
on shore. Beyond the crew nothing was
saved from the vessel. The cargo and wreck
were strewed along the beach.
6. The vessel was about 7-10ths laden with wool,
and was drawing at that time about 18 feet;
when full, she would have drawn about three
inches more.

After taking into consideration the whole of the
evidence, and from our own knowledge of the port,
we are of opinion that the ship "Ida Zeigler" was
lost through the three following causes :--
1st, An error in judgment on the part of the
Harbourmaster in taking a vessel the size of
the "Ida Zeigler" into such shallow water so
open to the sea.

2nd, An error in judgment on the part of the
Harbourmaster in not shackling both the
ship's cables on to the Government moorings.
This omission appears to us most extra-
ordinary when it is considered that the
moorings are formed of 45 fathoms three-inch
steel chain attached to a heavy mushroom
anchor; and in the event of parting there was
not much room to drive astern, and with a
gale of wind blowing it would be impossible
to beat out.

3rd, That the ship's starboard cable, if not
actually defective, must have been much
worn, and not fit or sufficient for use in an
open roadstead. It was unusually formed,
with a short length of 5 fathoms of a smaller
chain in the centre, near which, according to
the carpenter's evidence, the cable must have
parted.

To how much of the above three causes can fairly
be attributed the loss of the ship, it is impossible to
say; but it is not improbable that the vessel might
have ridden out the gale if the cable had been a little
stronger, as it was not by any means blowing a heavy
gale, not even so strong as it had been blowing four
days previous as marked on shore by a Register, but
the sea, we understand, was heavier.

We also wish to point out the great neglect of the
Harbourmaster in not sounding the ground and
examining the moorings previous to taking such a
large vessel to it; and also in not making greater
exertion to get back the mooring buoy, the want of
which prevented the spring the cable would other-
wise have had.

In conclusion, we beg to express our surprise that
a vessel of nearly 900 tons register should have only
been provided with 215 fathoms of cable when
leaving the Port of London for an open roadstead
like Napier.

The Captain states in his evidence that he believes
the value of the ship was about £9,000, and she was
only insured for £5,000 or £6,000.

Given under our hands this sixteenth day of
March, one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine, at Napier, in the Province of
Hawke's Bay, in the Colony of New
Zealand.

H. S. TIFFEN, J.P.
J. A. SMITH, J.P.

I quite concur in the above Report.

R. JOHNSON,
Nautical Assessor.

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 173

CUSTOMS.-In exercise of the powers in me for
this purpose vested by "The Customs Regulation
Act, 1858," I, the Commissioner of Customs, do
hereby approve and appoint the under-mentioned
warehouses-viz.,

Port of Russell.
A building situated on the Strand, Russell, and
known as
VILCOQ'S BOND.

Port of Havelock.
A building situate in Cook Street, Havelock, and
known as
PEARL'S BOND.

Port of Riverton.
A building situate on Section No. 17, Block No. 1,
Palmerston Street, Riverton, and known as
WHITTINGHAM BROTHERS' BOND,
-to be Warehouses for the reception of goods
under Bond.

Given under my hand at Wellington, this
twenty-fourth day of March, one thou-
sand eight hundred and sixty-nine.

J. C. RICHMOND,
Commissioner.
[Commissioner's Order, No. 30.]

Registrar-General's Office,
Wellington, 30th March, 1869.

PURSUANT to the provisions of an Act of the
General Assembly of New Zealand, passed in
the eighteenth year of the reign of Her Majesty
Queen Victoria, and intituled "The Marriage Act,
1854," the following names of Officiating Ministers,
within the meaning of the said Act, are published for
general information :--

Wesleyan Methodist Society.
The Reverend WILLIAM HENRY BECK.
"
"
WILLIAM KEALL.
JOHN ARCHIBALD MACDIARMID.

I, JOHN B. BENNETT, Registrar-General of Births,
Deaths, and Marriages in New Zealand, do hereby
certify that the foregoing NAMES of OFFICIATING
MINISTERS within the meaning of "The Marriage
Act, 1854," have been sent in to me, in addition to
the names in Lists published in the New Zealand
Gazette, No. 4, of the 29th of January; No. 5, of
the 8th of February; No. 15, of the 19th of March;
and No. 16, of the 25th of March, in the present year.

Given under my hand, at Wellington, this
thirtieth day of March, one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.

JOHN B. BENNETT,
Registrar-General.

Superintendent's Office,
Nelson, 15th March, 1869.

IN conformity with the provisions of the Gold
Mining Lease Regulations, published in the New
Zealand Gazette, No. 15, of 1866, it is hereby notified
that it is intended to grant a Lease for Gold Mining
purposes of the Crown Land within the District of
the Nelson South-west Gold Fields hereinafter
described, viz. :-

A Block of Land, containing ten acres, more or
less, situate at the Cement Lead, Waite's
Pakihis, about a quarter of a mile to the North
of the Creek known as "Dirty Mary's," applied
for by Patrick O'Toole and Company.

OSWALD CURTIS,
Superintendent.