PORT OF HOKITIKA.

West Coast Times, Issue 274, 9 August 1866, Page 2

PORT OF HOKITIKA.

Hioh Wateb This Day,— B.o a.m.; 8.25 p.m. AEBITSD. - August 8. — Sea Shell, cutter, Moreland, from Lyttelton, BAILED. August 8. — Rangitira, b.s., Thompson for Grey and Buller. ' liangitoto, b.s., Farcie, for Nelson. Albion, s.s., Kidney, for Nelson. ENTKBED IN. lona, 30 tons, R. Smith, from Okarita. Passengers — 1. Sea Shell.— so tons, C. Moreland, from Lyttelton. • CLOAKED OTTT. - Bangitoto, 449 tons, G. Farcie, for Nelson. Passengers — cabin ". Mrs M'lntosh ; steerage: 6. Eangatira, 17-1 tons, E. F. Thompson, for Greymouth and Buller. In ballast. Challenge, 77 tons, G. "Wilson, for Greymouth. Iv ballast. Emma Jane. 30 stone, J% Wilson, for' Greymouth. Jane Elkin, 29 tons, J. Deuchrass, for Greymouth. Albion, 453 tons, Edward Kidney, for Nel- ■ son, &c. Passengers— cabin : JUrs Dyer, Mr J. White ; steerage : 20. - Tambo, 42 tons, J. Wood, for Greymouth. EXI'BCTKD JMtUIVALS. Charlotte, schooner, from Lyttelton, 11th inst. . v Dunedin, from Dunedin, early. Kathcraw, from Melbourne, early. Francis, schooner, from Heathcote, oarly. Maid of Erin, from Melbourne, early. Sea Bird, from Newcastle, N.S.W., parly. Bonnie Lass, from Lyttellon. Albert, schooner, from Melbourne, early. Eambler, schooner, from Melbourne, early. Alma, barque, from Melbourne, early. Hector, brigantiiio, from Melbourne, early. Jane Lockhart, from Sydney, 11th inst. . Susanah Booth, from Sydney, early. Elizabeth, cutler, from Sydney, early. PBOJKCTED DKPARTURi:-*.

Gothenburg, for Melbourne, 13th inst. Emma Jane, for Okarita, to-day. VESSKLd IN POET. Brig — Clarendon . Schooners — Tambo, Emma Jane, Falcon, Prince Consort, John and Jane, lona. Ketch — Cjmraea, John Mitchell, Jane Elkin. Cutter — Lapwing, Sea Shell. Steamers — Perse Vore, Lioness, Challenge.

IHPOBT3. ■ Per lona, from Okarita — 5 cases hams, Clark Bros ; 13 stoves, Derery.

Per Sea- Shell, from Lyttelton— s9 cases whisky, J. R. Anderson ; 2 qr-casks brandy, M'Landress, Hepburn, & Co ; 12 bags bran, 32 do chaff, 20 do rice, 50 do flour, 9 do onions, sft do potato?, 10 bales bran, M'Landress, Hepburn, &Co ; 5 pkgs furniture, 46 bales bran, 18 do chaff, 70 bags carrots, 16 kegi barley, Hawkes & Strouts ; 3 pkgs, WilBon, Burnell, & Co' ; 10 cases port wine, J. ~R. Anderson ; 100 sacks bran, 63 do potatos, A. Boyle & Co ; 1 medicine chest, order. EXPOBTS.

Per Emma Jane, for Greymouth — 1 bale canvas, W. Graham. Per Jane Elkin, for Greymouth, 2 hhds eggs, J. Duff. Per Albion, for Nelson — 10 qr-casks brandy, 5 octaves whisky, order. Per Tainbo, for Greymouth — 6 boxes tobacco, 20 cases geneva, 4 qr-casks brandy, 10 hlfcheßta tea, 5 boxes raisins, 8 bags sugar, 2 caseß, Spence Bros ; 27 bags oats, Churches and Chiug ; 1 pkg tobacco, 2 cases salt, 1 case BOap powder, 1 case starch, 10 bags rice, 1 ease pepper, 1 pkg soap, 1 case painkiller,' Morison, Law, and Co ; 1 parcel biscuits, 6 cases pickles, 3 cases sauce, 2 cases cheese, 1 cask cheese, 4 cases eggs, 1 cask butter, Hawkes andStrouts; 2 casks butter, M'Landress, Hepburn, aud Co ; 1 case, Spence Btor.

The Otago Steamship Company's s.s. Albion, Edward' Kidney, commander, cleared Port Philip Heads and discharged the pilot at G p.m. on the 2nd inst., and after a pleasant passage of five day 3 twenty-one hour 3, during •which light variable winds and fine weather prevailed, came to an anchor off the bar at 3 p.m. ou the 7th. She brings thirteen saloon and twenty-one steerage passengers. By the Albion, we have received' Melbourne iiles to the 2nd ipstant, extracts from which will be found elsewhei'e. She sailed again for Melbourne, calling at the different ports .round the coast at 6 p.m. yesterday. The cutter Sea Shell loft Lyttelton on the 2nd inßtant, with strong S.E. winds and rainy weather. Favored by this breeze, she ran round the coast to Cape Farewell in twentyseven hours ; but there the breeze failed her, and hence to Hokitika light S. and S.E. weather prevailed. * The Sea Shell arrived off the bar yesterday morning, and was towed inside by the the Challenge. The Sea Shell is a fine cutter of fifty tons burden, the largest vessel of her class that has visited this port. Yesterday morning at early tide the p.s. Lioness ran up to Greymouth, and towed into the river the schooner Highlander, returning to Hokitika in the afternoon in time to take

out passengers to the Albion. She reports the Grey -bar to be almost unworkable, as the channel still runs to the northward, and close into the beach. The Yarra p.s. worked the bar yesterday, towing inside the Bchooner Florence. When the Lioness left Greymouth the Mary Stewart and Tiger were lying in. the roaditead waiting for a steamer to take them across the bar. The " Argus " informs us that the scnooner Mary sailed for Hokitika on the 30th ult., and that the Sea Bird sailed from. Newcastle (N.S.W.), having the same destination, on the 28th.

Last night at high water an attempt was made to remove the Star of the Evening from her position on the north spit into the deep •water close under her stern, which, we regret to say, resulted unsuccessfully. Anchors had been laid down in the lagoon, and the services of the Lioness engaged for the occasion ; but, notwithstanding the efforts made, the Star remained hard and fast, and will probably not be floated for another tide or two. We do not consider that she i 3 in any danger, as she is end on to the sea, and tho springs being close at hand, we are sanguine that she will be safe alongside the wharf by to-morrow night, or, at farthest, the day after. So far, not the slightest damage has accrued to her. That the ketch Caroline will never again be Been or heard* of seems to be tacitly admitted on all sides, as it is now several weeks since she left Okarita for Hunt's Beach, the distance between the tw« being a few miles only. Admitting, then, that she has met with a fatal mishap, the next question which naturally arises is, what occasioned it ? Did the unfortunate vessel founder at sea during the heavy gales vrbich blew home upon the coast immediately after her departuro ? or did she strike uppn some hidden shoal or rock uuknown to mariners through its not being laid down upon any chart of this very imperfectly surveyed coast. Either of the above contingencies are probable enough, aud although we incline to the former, we are still of opiniou that the latter might have arisen, for it is well understood that rocks do exist upon the coast which have never been surveyed, as witness that one in Chalky Islet-, which brought tho Star of the South up all standing, and had it not been for her walor-tight compartments would have sunk her outright. Tjie growing importance of the settlement?

on tlto western coa*t of New Zealand rondos it imperative that a very careful survey should bo made, not only of the^ different buys and inlets, but the whole coast Hue as well, for although we ai'e ready to allow that tho professional capabilities of Commander Stokes arc -of a high order, it must be admitted that the charts lie compiled of this coast are oxceedingly imperfect and lacking in detail. Wo arc induced to agaiu fovort to this subject from very valuable information, derived from Captain Beveridge, concerning a rock or sand patch which lies just in the entrance to Hunt's Bay — the bay to which the Caroline was bound, but never reached. The captain only returned from Ihe South \he day before yesterday, in the schooner lona,' and ho states that when in Hunt's Bay both himself and tho schooner's crew observed tho sea breaking furiously in one place situated about two miles from tho shore, and although he did not proceed to the Bpot and sound round it, he is yet quite certain that the break was caused by shallow water, as it was intermittent, but n^ver varied its position. Hunt's Bay or Beach, is next to tho northward of Bruce Bay, the two being separated by Makavin Point, from which the supposed rock bears N.E., distant about two miles. It is also about tho samo distance from the nearest point of Hunt's Beach. Captain Beveridge says that ho has pased it several times before, and always observed tho break, but never saw the rock above water. He, therefore concludes that it is submerged at low water. We publish the above facts as a warning to mariners, tho rock not being marked in tho admiralty chart, and trust it will not be in vain.

The Julia, schooner, arrived at Dnueclin from Jackson's Bay on tho 31st tilt. Amongst the projected departures from Dunedin announced in the " Daily Times" of tho Ist instant, are the Keera for Hokitika, 2nd August ; tho Despatch, 4th August ; and the Moync, cnrly. Tho schooner Julin, from Jackson's Bay, wliicli passed the port lo town during the day, has been some time on tho south-wcsl coast of the island. She experienced heavy weather to West Cape, afterwards moderate weather to arrival. Observed t>everal large vessels off the "West Cape, supposed to be whalers. — ',' Otago Daily Times," Aug. 1.