H.—l2a,

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2nd. About three-fourths of the warnings have been received in good time to give the ship master notice of same, and about one-fourth not till after the gale has set in; the delay, I presume, being crowd of business on the telegraph. 3rd. The afore-mentioned timely warnings have been of much service to the sailing coasters and smallpower steamers. The anxious master calls for the information, and it is conveyed to the heedless by the Deputy Harbour Master and myself. Also such warnings reduce the risk of casualties in the harbour, as vessels are then removed, and if necessary extra moorings put out for the gale. 4th. It appears to me that the time has now arrived when publicity of the storm warnings should be given (by day) at the signal stations in harbours with Fitzroy's signals for that purpose; besides the seafaring men, the yachting and boating men would profit by the information, amongst whom many lives have been lost in the harbour of Dunedin owing to an ignorance of approaching bad weather. Hopeful that the Government may be pleased to order the use of the signals referred to —signal masters have much time on their hands, and the attention to the one duty would not cause the other to suffer. I have, &c, Wm. Thomson, The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs, Wellington. Harbour Master.

No. 14. Captain Mills to the Hon. the Commissioneb of Customs. Sic, — Harbour Office, Timaru, 14th June, 1875. I■■ "■ " I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of- 9th inst. respecting the storm warnings which I have received at this station. I may state out of the warnings that I have received and have found correct is about eight in number. As for their being useful, my opinion is that they are of great benefit, especially in open roadsteads. Although they are not always correct, it puts one on his guard for heavy weather. I may further mention that Timaru lays in a deep bight, which I have no doubt you are aware of, and I may safely state that the wind very seldom blows home here, for it is often blowing a gale of wind out in the offing, with high sea, when it is quite calm, with smooth sea, in here. I have, &c, The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs, Wellington. W. Mills.

No. 15. Captain McLellan to the Hon. W. H. Reynolds. Sib, — Harbour Office, Lyttelton, June 14th, 1875. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 9th June, in reference to the system of storm warnings. I beg most respectfully to state that the warnings received by me from "Wellington during the last twelve months were of great importance to the safety of the shipping in this harbour; the warnings being in most cases correct, and only out in N.W. winds, from which direction shipping in this harbour receive very little damage. I may state that in nine out of twelve of the warnings received, they were perfectly correct. I may also state that the last severe S.W. gale, as warned from Wellington at 2.45 p.m. on the 4th inst., was the means of my securing all vessels at the wharves ; by which warning the shipping in this port received no damage, and was the means of my not allowing a ship called the " Cicero " to be removed in to the wharf, as she could not be secured before the gale came on. As far as my experience goes, I would suggest that weather telegrams be sent at noon instead of as at present at 9 a.m. Local winds and calms are now reported, instead of the winds received during the day. I have, &c, H. McLellan, The Hon. the Commissioner of Customs, "Wellington. Deputy Harbour Master. By Authority : Geobge Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB7s. Price 2s.]