MEMORANDUM RELATIVE TO ADDITIONAL LIGHTHOUSES ON THE COAST OF NEW ZEALAND.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1871 Session I, G-39

G.—No. 39.

MEMORANDUM RELATIVE TO ADDITIONAL LIGHTHOUSES ON THE COAST OF NEW ZEALAND.

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BY COMMAND OE HIS EXCELLENCY.

WELLINGTON.

1871.

G—No, 39.

In ISGI, I sketched a plan for lighting the coast of New Zealand; this plan was afterwards adopted by the two Marine Boards, and also by the late Mr. Balfour, when at the head of the department. In the sketch it was proposed to have thirteen coast, and five harbour and coast lights. The light at the entrance to Wellington Harbour had previously been built, and I believe the Nelson one waa also completed. The proposed lights were as follows, viz s — Coasting. —The Three Kings ; Poor Knights; Cuvier Island; *Tiri Tiri; East Cape ; Portland, *Mana; Cape Egmont; *Cape Farewell Spit; *Cape Campbell; *Nugget Point; *Dog Island; N.W. corner of Stewart Island. Harbour and Coast. —Tory Channel; *Lyttelton Heads ; *Otago; Napier; Wangaroa (North of Auckland). Out of the above, those marked with an asterisk (*) have already been erected, leaving seven coast and three harbour and coast ones to be built at some other time. The one proposed on Stephenson's Island, off entrance to Wangaroa Harbour, I sketched when I had in view the probability of the mail route to England being via British Columbia and Fiji, and Wangaroa being the port of call. As this is not to be the case, the necessity of this light will not be so great, although it would always be very useful to ships passing by. No doubt other lights will be required from time to time as trade increases, when they can be erected without altering the general arrangement. With regard to a light on Portland Island, it was proposed in the plan to erect there a second order fixed white light, but I have since considered the matter, and am now of opinion that a second order revolving white light will be better. This alteration will necessitate altering the character of all the other proposed lights northward: this also will be an improvement. The cost of a second order light, as now proposed for Portland Island, including cost of erection, would be about £5,000, but until the landing and site is examined, it will be impossible to give an exact estimate. 17th August, 1870. E. Johnson. The most needful light to be erected, I consider, is the one proposed at the entrance to Tory Channel. The Marine Board, when discussing the plan for lighting Cook Strait, considered it would cost more to erect a single light on the Brothers than one on Mana Island and another on the entrance to Tory Channel, and would not be nearly so useful to shipping navigating Cook Strait. Besides, with a light at the entrance, vessels could enter that channel at night, and without it, it can scarcely be considered safe. With Mana Island and Cape Campbell lights erected, it will be seen that Tory Channel is a connecting link, as it were, and the fact of the Straits, within a radius of the proposed light, being perhaps the most dangerous and certainly tho most difficult for sailing vessels to navigate, the necessity for erecting this light is apparent. This proposed light on Tory Channel is a fixed red light of the third order, dioptric, showing all round seaward, and the cost would be, including everything, about £3,500. I may further mention that either the Three Kings or Portland Island light, I consider, should be the next put up after Tory Channel. Both are important and much wanted. The Three Kings should be a first-class light; and, owing to that and its isolated position, both the first cost and that of its annual maintenance will be much greater than that of Portland Island. 22nd August, 1870. E. Johnson.

MEMORANDUM ON SYSTEM OF LIGHTHOUSES.